History is replete with literature that has recorded 'special religious occasions' and in some sense the entire Old and New Testaments are examples of such encounters.
However, there is a genre that can be read which records individual person's own personal experiences on the one hand, and another, as a scribe, chronicling such 'special religious occasions'.
The Church Fathers detailed numerous such 'special religious occasions' as did those in the Middle and Dark Ages, indeed the Benedictine Order engaged in such assignments with their teams of scribes who were dedicated to hand writing.
With the advent of printing (Gutenberg) at the time of Martin Luther, gave rise to thousands upon thousands of such stories of 'special religious occasions' for the masses to read and enjoy.
As an author of 24 books, recording 'special religious occasions' still retains its appeal and I for one is considering compiling another tome of recent 'acts of divine intervention'.
Minor incidents easy to neglect
In my 1994 book 'No Orchestra, No Trumpet' published by IFH Publishing Co., it detailed the pioneering of the Sports and Leisure Ministry (SLM), there was a chapter he titled 'Miracles' which recorded 'special religious occasions'.
In re-reading that chapter, it highlighted to me how easy it would have been to to neglect minor incidents that had significant outcomes in this genre of 'special religious occasions'. I was so very pleased I had recorded these.
Then I was recently reminded of the story of George Muller and his numerous recounting of miracles for sustenance for his orphanages in the 19th century. He too has lost count of how many times, he and his wife and family were on their last cent when someone gave them funding. These should have been recorded, he stated with reflection.
But being a natural chronicler can be a protective mechanism also. I have always engaged in painstakingly recording every detail of my ministry that includes many instances of 'special religious occasions'.
Since 2000 I am able to recount numerous ministry situations involving the International Olympic Committee, Tourism Ministry, the Art Ministry including the Basil Sellers Art Centre opening in 2003 in Moruya, Life After Cricket engagements, the relocation of his family from Moruya to Tweed Heads and the Basil Sellers Tweed Laguna Quays Respite facility, and a whole host more.
"Special religious occasions'
The art ministry is one that comes to mind as citing these little things that have resulted in numerous larger things.
In 1999 when I fell ill and diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress, I turned to art. I'd always had a flair for art and I enjoyed the relaxing nature of doing art. We were in Moruya, and as I initiated my art with philosophical art endeavours, visitors through Australia's Bush Orchestra's tourism ministry took an interest and many art works were sold.
Our ministry sponsor Mr Basil Sellers AM, one of Australia's art benefactors and private collector also liked my style of art and provided the funding to establish an art galley in Moruya (Basil Sellers Art Centre) for which we also utilised in youth art development.
The Basil Sellers Art Centre was opened in 2003 and Mr Basil Sellers annouced a $10,000 Moruya Art Prize for 2004. I handed the promotion to Graham Scobie a local promoter and this 2004 event was a huge success. The Eurobodalla Shire Council saw its potential and offered to merge the Basil Sellers Art Prize and take it to the next level. This was accepted and expanded to five local Shires and to $15,000.
Basil Sellers enjoyment in this was such that he then initiated with Melbourne University the $100,000 Sport-Art Prize at the Potter Museum of Art. We were guests at this major sport-art event and meanwhile I had further developed my own art endeavours when we moved to Tweed Heads - Basil Sellers commissioned from me 'Art Anguish trilogy' along with an annual art work all of which are in Basil Sellers private collection in Sydney.
When the Basil Sellers Laguna Quays Respite was opened in 2011 I noticed that Midge Point / Bloomsbury had many artists but no art prize. In 2013 the Basil Sellers Midge Point Art Prize was opened which has now increased from $1000 to $2000. The innumerable "special religious times" over all these years in art ministry illustrate this remarkable truth.
Reading victories - provides a great high - whether it is a victorious outcome in a novel or a chain of small but poignant victories from the pages of history. It is the stuff from which a person can turn their life around, and acknowledging the greatest of all victories - Jesus over death to resurrection and our Salvation.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html