There was a time when I didn't think much about the things I consumed.
I ate what was convenient. I bought products because they smelled good. I listened to whatever music was on the radio. I watched the news because that's what everyone did. I trusted that if something was sold in stores, marketed as healthy, or approved by an expert, it must be fine.
But over the past several years, something began to change.
As my relationship with the Lord deepened, I started noticing a quiet conviction growing inside of me. God began opening my eyes—not all at once, but little by little—to the things I was allowing into my body, my mind, my home, and my spirit.
He also began opening my eyes to things I had never questioned before: the ingredients in our food, the chemicals hidden in everyday products, the messages constantly pushed through media, and the systems that influence so much of what we buy, consume, and believe.
The more time I spent in prayer, Scripture, and seeking God's wisdom, the more I realized that He truly does give His people eyes to see and ears to hear.
Jesus said:
"But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear."
— Matthew 13:16
Looking back, I can honestly say my eyes have been opened.
Not because I suddenly know everything, and certainly not because I have all the answers, but because God has faithfully revealed things to me little by little over time.
Some of those revelations have been about my own habits.
Some have been about the food industry.
Some have been about the products we use every day.
Some have been about the messages our culture constantly feeds us.
And while I don't claim to know everything, I've learned that once God shows you something, it's hard to go back to living unaware.
The changes didn't happen overnight.
Some of them took years.
Some of them I'm still working on today.
But the more I grew in my faith, the more I began asking a simple question:
Does this honor God?
Not just in what I believe, but in what I consume.
Not just spiritually, but physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.
Scripture tells us:
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."
— 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
For years, I viewed that verse primarily through a spiritual lens.
Today, I see it much more broadly.
My body is a gift from God.
My mind is a gift from God.
My health is a gift from God.
My resources are gifts from God.
And I want to steward them well.
This Journey Started More Than a Decade Ago
Many people know me today as someone who talks about natural healing, nutrition, fasting, juicing, and holistic living.
What many don't know is that this journey didn't begin recently.
In many ways, it started back in 2010.
While serving in the Air Force, I developed fibromyalgia and eventually had to separate from the military because my health had declined to the point that I could no longer perform the duties required of me as a military leader.
At the time, I was taking multiple medications, each seemingly creating a new list of side effects while doing little to address the root cause of what was happening in my body.
After separating from the military, I made a decision that would change the course of my life.
I stopped taking the medications and sought a different approach.
I began working with a chiropractor who introduced me to a strict elimination diet known as the Spectrum Protocol. That season was far from easy. Healing didn't happen overnight. In fact, it took years.
Years of learning.
Years of detoxing.
Years of making mistakes.
Years of discovering how deeply our food, environment, stress levels, and lifestyle choices affect our health.
Looking back, I can see that God was using that difficult season to begin opening my eyes.
What started as a personal search for healing gradually became a deeper awareness of the world around me.
I began paying closer attention to ingredients in food.
The chemicals in household products.
The messages promoted by media and advertising.
The influence of large corporations on what we consume.
And perhaps most importantly, I began growing closer to Christ and learning to seek His wisdom rather than blindly trusting everything I was told.
Over the years, my faith and my awareness seemed to grow together.
The more I sought the Lord, the more He opened my eyes.
The more He opened my eyes, the more intentional I became about what I allowed into my body, my home, my mind, and my spirit.
Then, in 2025, another chapter was added to the story.
When my ex was diagnosed with cancer, I found myself diving even deeper into research on nutrition, healing, detoxification, and ways to support the body's God-given ability to heal.
That season didn't begin my journey, but it certainly poured gasoline on a fire that had already been burning for years.
It challenged me to ask even harder questions.
It strengthened many of the convictions God had already been developing in me.
And it deepened my appreciation for the incredible design and healing capacity He built into the human body.
If you'd like to read more about my experiences and why I'm so passionate about natural healing, these posts may be helpful:
- Walking Through Cancer, Faith & Healing Outside the System: A 60 Day Reset
- Faith, Fasting, and Food: Biblical and Scientific Evidence for Natural Healing
Looking back now, I can see God's fingerprints throughout the entire journey.
What felt like isolated seasons at the time were actually stepping stones He was using to teach me stewardship, discernment, perseverance, and trust.
And He's still teaching me today.
I Let Go of Marijuana and Nicotine
Not all of the things God has asked me to let go of came in a bottle, a package, or a product label.
Some of them were habits I had carried for years.
After separating from the military in 2010 and navigating life with fibromyalgia, I started smoking marijuana.
What began as a way to cope eventually became a daily habit.
For nearly fifteen years, I smoked every day.
At the time, I convinced myself it was helping me.
But over the years, I started noticing something.
I felt like I was living in a haze.
I wasn't fully present.
I wasn't fully clear-headed.
And the closer I grew to Christ, the more I felt convicted by a simple phrase that kept coming to mind:
"Be sober-minded."
Scripture says:
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."
— 1 Peter 5:8
That verse kept ringing in my ears.
Not in a condemning way.
In a loving way.
A conviction that the Lord was calling me to greater clarity, greater awareness, and greater dependence on Him.
So in November 2025, I quit.
After nearly fifteen years of daily marijuana use, I walked away from it.
And honestly?
It has been one of the most freeing decisions I've ever made.
For the first time in a long time, I felt fully awake.
Fully present.
More connected to God.
More connected to the people around me.
More connected to the life He was calling me to live.
But marijuana wasn't the only addiction God helped me overcome.
I also smoked cigarettes for years, beginning during my military days.
Over the last several years, I quit and restarted more times than I'd like to admit.
Then, during my travels in 2023, I picked up vaping.
I thought it would be easier.
It wasn't.
In many ways, quitting vaping was even harder than quitting cigarettes.
The withdrawal was intense.
The mood swings were intense.
There were days I cried constantly.
Days I felt emotionally exhausted.
Days I wondered if I would ever feel normal again.
Truth be told, quitting marijuanna after 15 years of daily use was a walk in the park compared to quitting after 2 years of vaping! It was horrible!
But God carried me through it.
One day at a time.
One craving at a time.
One prayer at a time.
As I write this, I am approaching one full year nicotine-free.
On July 13th, I will celebrate one year without vaping.
Praise Jesus.
Not because I did it perfectly.
Not because I was strong enough on my own.
But because God's grace was stronger than the habits I thought I'd never break.
Looking back now, I see these victories as another part of the same journey.
The journey of learning to surrender.
The journey of learning to trust God more than my comforts.
The journey of becoming more intentional about what I allow into my body, my mind, and my spirit.
And if you're reading this while fighting a habit you desperately want to break, let me encourage you:
God is able.
The same God who helped me put down marijuana after fifteen years and leave nicotine behind can help you too.
Keep praying.
Keep surrendering.
Keep taking the next step.
Freedom is possible.
I Stopped Filling My Mind with Things That Pulled Me Away from God
One of the first changes happened in my car.
For years I listened to secular music without thinking much about it.
But eventually I started paying attention to the lyrics.
I realized many of the messages being repeated over and over were shaping my thoughts in ways I didn't want.
Not every secular song is bad.
But I began noticing that when I spent my day listening to worship music, sermons, and Christian podcasts, my mind felt different.
More peaceful.
More hopeful.
More focused on the Lord.
The same thing happened with television and the news.
I used to keep up with current events constantly.
Over time, however, I realized that the more news I consumed, the more fear, anger, division, and anxiety I felt.
Eventually I found myself asking:
Why am I spending hours every week consuming content that leaves me discouraged?
Philippians 4:8 says:
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
That verse became a filter for what I allow into my mind.
Today I spend far less time consuming media and far more time consuming God's Word.
And the peace that came with that decision has been priceless.
I Started Looking More Closely at What Was Going Into My Home
As I became more intentional about what I consumed mentally, I also became more intentional about what I brought into my home.
One of the first things to go was artificial fragrance.
Laundry detergents.
Candles.
Air fresheners.
Cleaning products.
Personal care products.
At first I simply thought fragrance caused headaches and sensitivities.
Then I started researching.
The deeper I dug, the more questions I had.
Even the Bath & Body Works wall plugs have a disclaimer on their website that the "fragrance," the same fragrance that's in all of your plugins and freshners have all kinds of side effects but the one that stands out the most to me is, "suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child." It just makes me think of the thousands of people battling infertility and how it can be avoided by getting rid of all the products they use with fragrance...in the lotions, laundry detergents, body washes, garbage bags and the list goes on. People are so over consumed with hormone disrupting fragrances on our bodies, breathing it in, wearing it in our clothes, etc, etc. It just makes me so sad to think about it!
I eventually removed all synthetic fragranced products from my life and replaced them with simpler alternatives like quality essential oils that also heal the body.
Along the way, I also started paying attention to labels that sounded healthy but often weren't.
Words like:
• natural flavor
• natural fragrance
• natural scent
The word "natural" doesn't always mean what consumers think it means.
Many of these ingredients are still heavily processed or chemically altered.
Today, if a company isn't willing to clearly tell me what's in a product, I'm much less likely to buy it.
Transparency matters.
I also no longer consume any kind of food coloring in my diet. It does not appeal to me what so ever anymore.
I Reduced Plastic Wherever I Could
Another area God slowly opened my eyes to was plastic.
Again, this wasn't an overnight change.
I didn't throw everything away and replace my kitchen in a weekend.
But over time I started making simple swaps.
I replaced plastic cutting boards with wood.
I stopped heating food in plastic containers.
I switched to glass storage containers whenever possible.
I replaced plastic cooking utensils with wood, stainless steel, and cast iron alternatives.
Every small change felt like one more step toward treating my body with greater care.
I Started Looking at Food Differently
The more I learned, the more I began viewing food differently.
Food isn't just fuel.
Food is information.
Food is nourishment.
Food is one of the ways God cares for us.
When I travel, I love stopping at roadside farm stands, farmers markets, and local farms.
Not because I'm perfect.
Not because I never eat at restaurants.
Not because I never enjoy a treat.
But because I genuinely enjoy supporting people who are growing real food and serving their communities.
I believe God created incredible healing potential within fruits, vegetables, herbs, and whole foods.
The more I learn, the more amazed I am by His design.
Even Buster's Food Changed
If you've followed my travels for any length of time, you know Buster isn't just a dog.
He's family.
He's my adventure buddy.
He's been by my side through thousands of miles, countless campfires, lakeside sunsets, hiking trails, and road trips across the country.
As I started paying closer attention to what I was putting into my own body, I eventually found myself asking a simple question:
Why wasn't I doing the same for him?
For years, I fed kibble because that's what most people do. I trusted that if it was sold in stores and marketed as healthy, it must be good for him. As he got older I started giving him the fresh Farmers Dog food. Then I hit the road to travel full time tent camping where I couldn't store fresh food so I switched back to kibble with supplements.
Once again, God used another difficult season to open my eyes even more.
Last week, I learned that Buster has significant arthritis in his spine. Seeing him struggle was heartbreaking.
The dog who has spent years exploring the country with me suddenly had trouble getting up. His tail wasn't wagging like it normally did. He struggled with stairs. Getting in and out of the car became difficult. There were moments when I wasn't sure what the future would look like for him.
Since then, he's seen a chiropractor who adjusted several areas that were out of alignment, and I completely changed his diet.
Out went the kibble.
In came real food.
Many of the same whole foods I eat myself:
• healing vegetables
• fresh fruits
• sardines
• raw turmeric
• bone broth
• nutrient-dense foods
• supplements designed to support his joints, inflammation, and overall health
Now, to be fair, it's only been a few days.
He's not 100% better.
But the changes I've already seen have been incredible.
Every day his tail lifts a little higher.
Every day he gets up a little easier.
Yesterday he actually ran toward me—something he definitely wasn't doing a week ago.
Today he walked up a set of stairs.
Those may seem like small victories to some people, but to me they feel enormous.
Watching him improve has been another reminder that food matters.
What we put into our bodies matters.
What we feed the animals God has entrusted to us matters.
And while I believe God often works through doctors, chiropractors, nutrition, herbs, and many other tools, ultimately all healing comes from Him.
So every time I see Buster wag his tail a little higher or move a little easier, my heart can't help but say:
Hallelujah. Praise be to God, who heals.
That journey is still unfolding, but it comes from the same place as every other change I've made:
Stewardship.
Taking care of the gifts God has entrusted to us and doing our best to nourish them well.
I Try to Support Businesses That Align with My Values
One of the bigger shifts I've made involves where I spend my money.
I try to support local businesses whenever possible.
I love finding small-town coffee shops.
Family farms.
Farmers markets.
Local artisans.
Small businesses run by people who genuinely care about what they're creating.
Do I always get it right?
Absolutely not.
We all live within systems we can't completely avoid.
I still use technology.
I still buy things from major companies.
Sometimes friends want to meet at Starbucks.
Sometimes a small-town coffee shop isn't available.
And that's okay.
This isn't about perfection.
It's about intentionality.
It's about making thoughtful decisions rather than mindlessly consuming whatever is put in front of me.
Things I'm Still Working On
There are still plenty of areas where I'm growing.
I'm slowly transitioning more of my clothing and bedding toward natural fibers like linen and bamboo.
I'm continuing to learn about healthier ingredients in personal care products.
I'm experimenting with making more of my own cleaning supplies and household products.
And honestly, there are still plenty of things I enjoy that probably aren't perfect.
We all have those areas.
The goal isn't perfection.
The goal is progress.
The goal is wisdom.
The goal is honoring God with the knowledge we've been given.
Faith Before Fear
I want to end with something important.
This journey is not driven by fear.
It's driven by faith.
I'm not trying to live in fear of food.
Fear of products.
Fear of corporations.
Fear of technology.
Fear is not from God.
Instead, I simply want to be a good steward of the body, mind, and life He has entrusted to me.
Romans 12:2 says:
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
For me, that's what this journey has been about.
A renewed mind.
A renewed awareness.
A renewed appreciation for God's design.
And a growing desire to glorify Him through every area of my life—including what I choose to consume.
I'm still learning.
Still growing.
Still making changes.
And I suspect I always will be.
But every small step has brought me closer to living with greater intention, greater gratitude, and greater dependence on the Lord.
And for that, I'm incredibly thankful.
I'd love to hear from you.
Have there been things you've felt led to let go of as your faith has grown?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
✨ Grace, adventure, and faith along the journey
Sharla – Sharla’s Wanderlust Adventures
Don’t forget — go somewhere new, heal the way God designed, and glorify Him in 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.