The Stories We Shared: A Book Swap Birthday to Remember

Turning forty felt like a milestone that deserved something meaningful, something that reflected the season of life I’m in: grateful and surrounded my stories–both written and lived.

At the encouragement of a few good friends in my Bible study, I decided to “do it big.” Instead of a traditional party, I invited my friends to bring one of their favorite books, something they’d already read and loved, to share with one another in a book swap. No gift wrap required, just a story that had touched their heart. It could be used, new, even a children’s books. Let me tell you. They understood the assignment!

I wanted the evening to be about connection, about friendship, and less about me. Books and words have always been a part of my life. I share the sentiment Louisa May Alcott penned for Jo March in Little Women, “I like good strong words that mean something.” Me too, Jo. Me too. In fact, ten years ago, a dearly loved and different group of friends in a dearly loved and different town celebrated my thirtieth birthday party with the theme, “Wordy Thirty.” At twenty-nine, I had begun writing this blog. At thirty-nine, I opened a tiny bookshop in a corner of a market among other vendors. It seemed fitting for forty to be celebrated with another decade of friends and books.

For this book swap birthday, each friend arrived with a story in hand and a reason for choosing that book. The collection of books was every bit as lovely and diverse as the friends that brought them. It warmed my heart to see the table of books stacked with stories that my friends wanted to share with one another. We gathered at the local Mexican restaurant that graciously shared an entire room with us which meant that I didn’t have to pick and choose one friend group, but was able to include all of my local friends. The only friends missing were those who had obligations (mostly friends who had to be at the first home football game) or friends who live in another part of the state. It was glorious to have so many people I love in the same room, to hear their laughter, and feel the buzz of genuine friendships as women connected and reconnected with one another. There are few things I value more than connection with other people. It was the sweetest gift.

I gave each friend a number as they entered the room. After each friend ordered her favorite Mexican dish, we took turns picking books, but the best part was hearing so many stories about why each of these books had been chosen. It was a reminder that every story connects us in some way. I thought it might be fun to share some of those titles with you. I didn’t write them down at the time, but I jotted down the ones I could remember and called on a few friends to remind me which book they took home. This list is expansive and absolutely eye opening. We all have such different reading styles! You’ll definitely find a title or three that you love from this book swap list kudos to so many of the women in my life.

Fortieth Birthday Book Swap
1. Lisa: Gilead by Marilyn Robinson
2. Kim: Every Moment Holy by Douglas Kaine McKelvey
3. Rachel: The Great and Terrible Quest by Margaret Lovet
4. Ky’Lee: Wednesday Letters by Jason Wright
5. Sarah M: Through the Gates of Splendor by Elizabeth Elliott
6. Kristy: At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
7. Heidi: Keep Your Love On: 365 Daily Devotions for Couples by Danny Silk
8. Mandy: Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
9. Casey: The Women by Kristin Hannah
10. Lara: The Wanderers by Elizabeth Coatsworth
11. Steph: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
12. Janet: Tramp for the Lord by Corrie Ten Boom
13. Katlyn: Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
14. Pam: Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan Henry
15. Stevie: One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
16. Jody: A Million Little Ways by Emily P. Freeman
17. Sarah P: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
18. Molly: A Woman and Her God by Beth Moore
19. Jen B: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
20. Amy R: The Story of God’s Love for You by Sally Lloyd Jones
21. Amy S: The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand
22. Jessica W: Stretched Too Thin by Jessica Turner
23. Peggy: A Lethal Engagement by April Skelley (Peggy’s daughter. How fun!)
24. Megan: The Tech Wise Family by Andy Crouch
25. Ashley P: Verity by Colleen Hoover
26. Holly: Light Force by Brother Andrew
27. Darla W: Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen
28. Elise: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
29. Vicki: The Carpenter by Jon Gordon
30. Nikki: Imagine the God of Heaven by John Burke
31. Leigha: The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron
32. Beth: The Words of Jesus Sticker by Number by Brain Games
33. Sherri: Becoming Elizabeth Elliott by Ellen Vaughn 34. The Floating Girls by Lo Patrick
35. Amy B: The People We Keep by Allison Larken
36. Alexis: A Gentleman in Moscow (At least two of my friends brought this title, so I’ll be adding it to my bookstore in the near future!)
37. Rita: Women’s 5 Minute Bible Study
38. Cheri: Called to Create by Jordan Raynor
39. Tish: Teammate by David Ross
40. Malissa: The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
41. Becky: Llama, Llama Gram and Grandpa 42. Jeannie: The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown. 43. Sarah W:
44. Valerie: A Simplified Life by Emily Ley
45. Erin: Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
46. Bess: Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
47. Elisa: Mother and Son by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
48. Jenna: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Technically, there were a few more books and friends in the mix but I’ve had quite a time trying to recall everyone’s titles. As you can see, this was an eclectic group of readers. We had theologians, historical fiction, children’s books, and romantic comedies to name only a few genres. My friends are reading everything from Corrie Ten Boom to Colleen Hoover. I do love a good diverse group of thinkers and readers so it makes good sense that my crew reads both Elin Hilderbrand and Brother Andrew. Just thinking about this makes me smile.

My long-term goal is to read each of my friends’ book recommendations but I think it will take me into the next decade to do so! Check back when I’m fifty. I hope you’ve found a title that resonates with you, as well. There’s definitely something for every kind of reader in that list!

I’m grateful for the gift of friendship, for women who have poured into my life through Bible study, Book Club, Small Groups, and our Foster-Adopt group. What a gift to have traveled on mission with some of these friends, to have worked alongside so many wonderful women, or to have spent a weekend at the table of wise women year after year during our church’s marriage retreat. I’ve built friendships with these women in the bleachers of basketball games, in lawn chairs at soccer games, and on top of inactive volcanoes in El Salvador. You read that correctly. We’ve served together on the lead team for VBS or prayed together in living rooms while holding wiggly toddlers who always remember to pray for Ukraine. They’ve witnessed annual performances of my high school fight song, been subject to my spontaneous singing, and have watched me run down elementary school hallways to an emergency with my walkie talkie in hand. They’ve seen my love for floating in a pool with a book sans raft. They were across the hall when I slipped and landed a concussion while teaching phonics. They showed up to my door the day our littlest children joined us with meals, cribs, and apple juice. They’ve walked with me through the biggest disappointments of my adult life and showed up with coffee, tea, and a Porter’s Gate song to remind me that my labor is not in vain. They’ve slipped me chocolate from their pockets in the hallway on Parent/Teacher conference night. They’ve helped me move classrooms, cut lamination, and left baked goods on my doorstep. They’ve opened the doors to my large family and hosted me in their home in the most chaotic and weary season of my entire life. They’ve stuck their head inside my classroom and said, “Come on, Court. We’re getting coffee.” They’ve believed in me, championed me, built balloon arches with me when I found out that it was my weakest party planning skill. They’ve walked with me through my darkest and happiest days. These friends are such a reminder that I have lived. Of all the stories they shared with me on my fortieth birthday, the greatest gift has been their physical presence in the story to my own life. It has been the sweetest shared story. Friendship is born in the faithful attendance in the day to day life. God has been gracious to bless me with these women. They’ve been His hands and feet. I’m forever grateful.