Start Here: What This Blog Is Really About

Welcome! If you’re here, there’s a reason.

This blog exists at the intersection of faith, healing, and intentional living. It’s for those who feel a quiet nudge that life is meant to be lived more fully, more honestly, and more closely aligned with how God designed us — body, mind, and soul.

Sharla’s Wanderlust Adventures isn’t just about travel.

It’s about obedience, restoration, and trusting Yahweh one step at a time.

This post is the foundation of everything I share.

When Becoming an Empty Nester Changed Everything

Becoming an empty nester created space — not just in my home, but in my heart and mind.

With that space came questions I could no longer ignore:

  • - What is my purpose now?

  • - How do I want to live this next chapter?

  • - How can my life bring glory to God and serve others?

Like many mothers, I carried quiet guilt — wishing I had known more, done things differently, loved better in certain seasons. I believe most moms understand that feeling. I didn’t want to stay stuck there. I wanted healing, clarity, and renewal.

So I prayed.

I prayed about purpose.

I prayed about direction.

I prayed about how to live in a way that honors Christ.

And slowly, clearly, the answer came: move forward — not in fear, but in faith.

Why I Chose Full-Time Travel as a Way of Obedience

Full-time travel wasn’t an escape. It was an answer.

I felt called to simplify my life, remove distractions, and step into a rhythm that allowed me to listen more closely to God. Travel created the space to slow down, to be present, and to live intentionally rather than reactively.

Living on the road has taught me:

  • You don’t need much to live well

  • Freedom often follows obedience

  • God meets us in movement as much as in stillness

I don’t always know where I’m going next — and that’s intentional. This life is about trusting God with the unknown and letting Him guide each step.

The Road Trip That Changed Everything (7,200 Miles of Confirmation)

Before I committed to full-time travel, there was a defining season that quietly confirmed what God had already been stirring in my heart.

In 2023, I took a 7,200-mile road trip over the course of two and a half months. What began as a long journey turned into something much deeper—a season of listening, healing, and noticing how alive I felt on the road.

With every mile, I sensed God gently nudging me toward a different way of living. Away from routine and noise, I found clarity, peace, and an unexpected sense of alignment. Looking back, that trip wasn’t random—it was preparation.

👉 Read the full story here:

The 7,200-Mile Road Trip That Changed Everything

Traveling With My 10-Year-Old Dog: Presence Over Pace

I don’t travel alone — I travel with my dog, who is 10 years old and a constant reminder to slow down and be present.

Our days often include:

  • Long walks

  • State & National parks

  • Fresh air

  • Simple routines

  • Plenty of rest

  • Time in the Word with Jesus 💖

Traveling with him has reshaped how I move through the world. It has taught me that joy is found in the small moments, and that life doesn’t need to be rushed to be meaningful.

This journey is as much about being present as it is about going places.

Faith Is the Foundation of Everything I Do

Faith is not an add-on in my life — it is the foundation.

“I am the Lord who heals you.” — Exodus 15:26

This verse speaks to healing beyond the physical. It reminds me that restoration includes the mind, the heart, and the spirit.

Travel has strengthened my faith because it requires:

  • Surrender

  • Daily trust

  • Letting go of control

  • Dependence on God

I don’t believe faith is meant to stay comfortable. I believe it is meant to be lived out, practically and courageously.

Why Healing the Way God Designed Became My Calling

My passion for healing came from experience — both personal and through walking alongside others during difficult seasons.

I’ve learned that healing often begins when we:

  • Stop fighting the body

  • Start listening to what causes pain or unrest

  • Nourish ourselves with whole foods

  • Reduce toxic load and stress

  • Honor rest, rhythm, and prayer

I believe God designed the human body with wisdom and resilience. When we create the right conditions — physically and spiritually — the body can respond.

That's why He inspired me to write my Faith-Based Healing Testimony & 60-Day Healing Reset and I challenge you, if you're going through any kind of medical ailment (big or small) or you're experiencing pain in any way. I encourage you to step out and give my 60 Day Healing Reset a try! I've experienced healing myself and I've seen others beat some challenging health ailments with the healing principles in the post.

Healing is not instant.

It is often obedience practiced daily.

Working With the Land: Farms, Gardening, and Service

No matter where I travel, I want my life to remain grounded.

I feel deeply called to:

  • Help on farms

  • Garden when possible

  • Eat fresh, whole foods

  • Serve where God opens doors

Working with the land reminds me how God designed food to nourish and restore. There is healing in soil, in growing, and in serving quietly.

This desire for service may also lead to mission trips along the way — wherever God leads.

Retreats, Restoration, and Renewing the Mind

This chapter is also about healing emotionally and mentally.

There were seasons in my life where I struggled deeply — times when hopelessness crept in and self-worth felt fragile. Through prayer, faith, and intentional healing, God has been restoring my mind and reminding me of my value through Him.

This journey includes:

  • Healing from past relationship wounds

  • Releasing guilt

  • Renewing thought patterns

  • Learning self-love through Jesus

  • Growing deeper in relationship with Yahweh

Christian retreats and faith-centered community have played a meaningful role in this restoration.

Why I Share This Journey

I don’t share because I have it all figured out.

I share because I’m walking it out—one step at a time—letting God guide me, even when I don’t know what’s next.

This blog is for those who:

  • Are entering a new season of life

  • Feel called to live differently

  • Are seeking healing—physically, emotionally, spiritually

  • Want faith to be lived, not just spoken

  • Believe adventure and obedience can coexist

What You’ll Find on Sharla’s Wanderlust Adventures

This site is built around four main themes:

1. Faith-Based Living

  • Scripture

  • Reflection

  • Trusting God through seasons

2. Healing & Wellness

  • Supporting the body naturally

  • Listening to physical and emotional cues

  • Creating healing rhythms

3. Full-Time Travel

  • Simple living on the road

  • Solo female travel

  • Traveling with a dog

4. Community & Service

  • Retreats

  • Farms

  • Missions

  • Faith-filled connection

Every post on this site connects back to this foundation.

 

Tools That Support This Lifestyle

Living intentionally means choosing tools that support health, simplicity, and rhythm — especially while traveling.

Throughout this site, I may share:

  • Wellness and healing tools

  • Travel-friendly kitchen essentials

  • Natural self-care products

  • Simple living items for life on the road

Final Words: Living One Step at a Time With God

I don’t have everything figured out — and I don’t need to.

This journey is about:

  • Obedience over certainty

  • Presence over pressure

  • Trust over control

I’m choosing to live fully, love deeply, heal intentionally, and let God guide each step — even when I don’t know where I’m going next.

If you’re here because you feel called to something more, something deeper, something freer — you’re in the right place.

🤍 Welcome to the journey.

My Challenge to YOU: Go somewhere new, heal the way God designed, and give Him all the glory in all you do.

About Sharla

Hi, I'm Sharla—a veteran, traveler, empty nester, dog mom to Buster, and follower of Jesus. Through Sharla's Wanderlust Adventures, I share faith-filled travel experiences, Christian retreats, natural wellness, Bible studies, and the lessons God teaches me along the journey.

Affiliate Disclosure:

Sharla’s Wanderlust Adventures is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on this site, I may earn a small affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. I only share tools, resources, and products I’ve personally used, researched, or believe genuinely support healing.