For years in the Church I heard that fasting, along with prayer, Bible study and meditation, were tools a Christian could use for spiritual growth. However, it took many years before I learned how to use this powerful tool. From personal experience and the input of others, I have found three aids that have been extremely helpful in each stage of a fast. They are planning, prayer and journaling.

When to plan a fast is a personal decision. Some people schedule them regularly and some according to need or motivation. As soon as a fast is scheduled is a good time to begin praying that God will bless the fast and will show you what He wants you to include in your fast day. It is beneficial to have a notebook or journal to record the dates and details of what you prayed about.

At this point, before the fast, you can begin to write down things that come to mind, such as the needs of the Church's work, prayer requests from family and brethren and points for personal growth and overcoming.

Leave space on the page to write in the answers to prayers and needs because they often come quickly! When it takes longer, it is helpful to have them written down because it is so encouraging to see that God remembered your requests!

On the day of the fast, after prayer and study, record what you learned and scriptures you found helpful, as well as goals for growth and change.

Once the fast is over, the going forward begins, and the prayers for God's help certainly continue. This is also a time for planning how to implement your goals, how to serve those in need and encourage others with perhaps a call or a card. In Isaiah 58:6-9 we're encouraged to reach out to others as part of our fasting.

As the days go by, the journal can be reviewed to see how far we've come. It becomes a record of God's intervention and help in His work and in our lives.