The exception for me is John Grisham. A few of his books have probably slipped past, but not many. He has a new one climbing the bestseller lists right now, and it stands to be the one pleasure read I will schedule for spring break. He knows how to tell a good story.

Although his books have sold a phenomenal 235 million copies, people sometimes pan him. "He's no Hemmingway or Faulkner!" says one reviewer. "He is not a particularly good writer," pontificates another, "and it is unlikely that anyone will be reading his 'potboilers' in another generation."

Sour grapes! Some of the people writing that tripe would kill to have just one book that sold half as many as his slowest title. But that's another story.

I like the fact that Grisham doesn't take himself too seriously. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, the 53-year-old writer disclaimed any visions of great literary fiction. "It's pure entertainment," he said. Sounds downright humble, doesn't it? And it is most refreshing these days.

Self-discipline toward a goal is critical.

In the course of that interview, he mentioned a fact from his earliest days of attempting to write that grabbed my attention. "The alarm clock would go off at 5, and I'd jump in the shower," he said. "My office was five minutes away. And I had to be at my desk, at my office, with the first cup of coffee, a legal pad — and write the first word at 5:30, five days a week." His goal was to write one page every day. If it took ten minutes, so be it. Sometimes he would write for two hours before starting his job as a lawyer.

Grisham said that such a rigorous discipline was one of several "little rituals that were silly and brutal, but very important."

Self-discipline toward a goal is critical. And it is hardly a secret. But it is the difference in making it and living with regret. What if I had gotten up? What if I had written a page a day? What if I had gone back to school? What if I had asked for the position? Or proposed? Life has far too many "what ifs" for most of us!

The courage to take risks and to reach for a dream is there for all of us. God doesn't offer life without challenge; he offers grace to those with courage.

 

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© 2008 Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly's "FAX of Life" printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for previous issues of the "FAX of Life."

Title: "A John Grisham Secret"
Author: Rubel Shelly
Publication Date: March 04, 2008

When Godly People Do Ungodly Things by Beth Moore Confronts the hard questions of faith and faithfulness, and offers warnings to Christians to safeguard themselves and others against Satan's attacks.

Rubel Shelly preached for the Woodmont Hills Churchin Nashville for thirty years. He is the author of more than 20 books. He has accepted the position of President of Rochester College. For more details, click here or here to email.

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