Re:Collect

A journaling practice to help you see the faithfulness of God in your life

journal

“Forgetfulness is a spiritual pandemic ravaging humanity, with dangerous and lethal repercussions.” -John Eldredge

What is this?

Re:Collect is more than just a unique journaling practice; it's become an essential part of our lives. Each month, we take time to look back, paying close attention to the events and moments that might have slipped our minds—the times when God answered prayers, showed up, or took care of things we had forgotten about. This simple act of reflection has had a profound impact on us, and we recommend it wholeheartedly to others.

Slowing down and recording the happenings in our lives while seeking God's hand in them has transformed us over the past 14 years. It started during a challenging season, but it's now become a habit—a habit of seeking God's kindness and faithfulness in each passing month and year. It's incredible how much we tend to forget, but Re:Collect journaling serves as a powerful reminder of the Father's love and His continuous presence in our lives. If you embrace this practice and allow it to become a regular part of your life, we can confidently say it will also change your life and deepen your connection with God. We all need help in paying attention and being reminded of His goodness, and Re:Collect journaling has been that lifeline for us, drawing us closer to the source of all love and grace.

Steps to Re:Collect

Pause and look back

Gather with your spouse or take some personal time at the start of each month to pause and reflect on the past month's events and emotions. Document and collect your experiences in a journal to gain insights and cherish memories.

Write it down

Grab a journal or an online document to record everything. We suggest using bullet points for ease of review during your yearly retreat. This way, you can efficiently document and revisit your experiences and reflections.

Repeat this every month

Consistently repeat this monthly journaling practice throughout the entire year. As you do so, your awareness of God's presence will steadily grow, deepening your connection and trust in Him.

The Goal: The Yearly Retreat

This is where the real impact is made! After a full calendar year, collect all 12 months of re:collections and print them out. (or get fancy and make a spiral bound notebook like we do) Take a day or two to retreat with your spouse or friend and look back over the past year. Armed with a pen and highlighter, get ready to witness the abundant goodness and kindness of our God as you look over your entire the entire year!

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The Stages

Re:Collect journaling unfolds as a 12-month journey divided into two stages. Download our guide below to learn how we do both!

Monthly Re:Collect

Throughout the year, you engage in our monthly Re:Collect phase of your journaling, where you gather the moments, events, and happenings as they unfold each month. This phase captures life in real-time, collecting the essence of each month's experiences as they naturally occur when you look back. This phase happens once per month and takes about 30-60 minutes to complete.

Yearly Retreat

The culmination of our journey is the yearly retreat, a time when you escape with your spouse at the end of the year for a day or so. With your journal full of the all the moments from the past 12 months in hand, armed with a pen and highlighter, you embark on the task of recognizing God's constant presence in the intricate details of your year – the very essence of "recollect." During this retreat, you come to realize the guiding hand of God in your life and His boundless goodness. This dedicated time is also an opportunity to discuss your aspirations for the forthcoming year, evaluate successes and setbacks, and express gratitude for those who played significant roles in your journey.

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The Practice

Every month, Ashley and I set aside 30-60 minutes to look back on the previous month. We use calendars, photos, and social media to remember all that happened. It's surprising how much we forget, especially the good and kind things God allowed us to experience. This journaling practice embodies the essence of Re:Collect—reflecting on God's work in our lives each month and then during our yearly retreat, looking back on the whole year. It helps us combat our tendency to focus on the negative and fear of the future, and instead reminds us of God's goodness and His presence in our lives.

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Our Story

The Genesis of the Re:Collect Journal

In 2009, just three weeks after our first daughter was born, I lost my job unexpectedly. I was working for a start up company in San Francisco, CA and they called to let me know I didn't have a job anymore. With a new baby and three years into marriage, this was a difficult blow. We moved back to Texas, where we had to live with my parents for ten months while I searched for work. We found ourselves relying on government assistance to get by.

During that time, we attended The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX, where we were inspired to create a monthly journaling ritual. We started being intentional with documenting our life, writing down the things that happened each month, looking for God's hand and the ways He showed up. This practice gave us hope and reminded us of His provision, love, and kindness. We continued this tradition for the last 14 years, recollecting all that God has done each month. It has become an essential tool in our marriage, strengthening our relationship with each other and increasing our trust and faith in the Lord.

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About The Hardcastle's

Since that challenging moment in 2009, we have been truly blessed by God with the addition of three more wonderful children: Leighton, Cruz, and Roman, in addition to our eldest, Azzi. Ashley and I first met during our college days, and since 2006, we've been happily married. Together, we manage our real estate brokerage, The Real Estate Project. While I handle the business side of things, Ashley has taken on the primary role of nurturing and raising our four children. She's actively involved in their education and serves as a part-time homeschool teacher, with all four of our kids attending Lucas Christian Academy. As a family, we take pride in being active members of Citizens Church in Plano. Currently, our home is in Frisco, TX...where we do our monthly Re:Collect.

What if we can't afford a "Re:Collect Retreat"

Excellent question! In the initial stages of embarking on this journey, we certainly couldn't allocate funds for a year-end retreat. If you find yourself in a similar situation, endeavor to create a special experience, be it over a nice dinner or by dedicating a half or whole day at home for the retreat. Arrange for a sitter if you have children, ensuring the time is both focused and enjoyable. We assure you, the effort invested will be well worth it!
What do you write down each month during your Re:Collect journal?

First and foremost, we highly recommend writing everything in your journal in bullet point format for easier yearly recollection. When jotting down your reflections, focus on events that occurred during the month or anything personally significant, such as a closed business deal or challenging negotiations. If you have children, include what's happening in their lives. Feel free to add anything that weighs on your heart, emotions, friends' struggles, close family matters, prayers, and so on. Make it your own! Life has its ups and downs, but as you engage in this practice, you'll notice one significant thing: God shows up far more often than you might think. His presence and faithfulness will shine through your recollections, reassuring you of His love and care in every aspect of your life. Check out our guide for an example of what goes in our monthly Re:Collect journal.
How often do you Re:Collect during the month?

This practice can be customized to your personality type or desire. My wife and I personally take one day out of the month to Re:Collect over the previous month. Some folks may want to Re:Collect once a week or even daily if you want to make sure you get the things that happen during the month down on paper. At times I will pull out my note app on my phone to take something down that I for sure don't want to forget. Do whatever works for you... just make sure to Re:Collect!
Where do you get the books you put together for your yearly retreat?

We utilize Canva for our journal creation and subsequently print two spiral-bound copies at our local FedEx Kinkos each year for our annual Re:Collect retreat. In the early years, we simply printed out and stapled together the 12 months. While not everyone may be inclined to explore their creative side, opting for a journal can contribute to its longevity, offering a more lasting preservation.
Do you have an app?

At the moment we don't, but have tossed around the idea of creating a Re:Collect app that could be helpful in creating reminders to Re:Collect and give you the ability to have everything in one place.
Where do you Re:Collect during the month?

Typically, we Re:Collect at home, often in the morning when we have time. If both of us can't be together, one of us will start the process alone. While we prefer to do it together, after 14 years, we are committed to getting our month in our journal, no matter what it takes. In addition, we've begun taking our Re:Collect journaling practice on date nights, bringing our materials along to reflect over food or drinks. It may not be the norm for our current season of life, but it's a delightful and enjoyable way to engage in the process whenever we have the opportunity.
What if I'm single?

While we encourage individuals who are not married to engage in Re:Collecting independently, we strongly recommend considering the option of involving a trusted friend, relative, or committed partner if possible. Having a companion not only provides a valuable source of accountability but also offers a supportive presence for processing thoughts and emotions.
What are the tools, apps, websites, etc. that help you Re:Collect?

We use the following tools to help us create our Re:Collect journaling experience: Journal- grab your favorite journal to write down your monthly recollections Google Docs- what we use to write down our monthly Re:Collect Ink Cards App- for our "Big Thanks" cards Pens/Highlighters -for taking notes, and highlighting major things during our retreat Canva -JT uses Canva to create the journals each year. It's free and pretty easy to use! Smart Phone - Although I wish I didn't own one, they do make it easy to capture our lives and experiences which help us recall those memories when Re:Collecting Laptop Computer -we do our monthly Re:Collecting on a laptop computer

The Hope & Prayer

We sincerely wish to share this meaningful endeavor with you, hoping that you will embark on this journey alongside us, rediscovering the kindness of God in your own life and family. Our vision is to foster a global community of individuals and families who engage in this journaling practice regularly, making it a monthly and yearly tradition. Witnessing the significant impact it has had on our lives, we are confident it will bring a positive transformation to yours as well!

-JT & Ashley Hardcastle

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Email: jthardcastle@gmail.com