Mark and Mary-Ann met at the Assemblies of God Church in Johannesburg, South Africa and were married in 1977 and have 3 grown-up girls and 4 grandchildren.
Like Jonah, Mark thought of jumping on a ship and running from God. In 1974 he was on his way to go whaling in the Antarctic when he stepped into a telephone booth to phone home and say goodbye to his family. Minutes later he stepped out a supernatural man, but unlike Superman it was not a new outfit that made him different but a change in heart. In the booth was a Christian tract with the words “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden” and Mark knew he could no longer run from God.
Mary-Ann in the meantime was still in high school and teaching Sunday school at the local Methodist Church. She was trying very hard to earn her way into heaven and thought that if she was very good and kind to poor people and children she may just be able to make it. Then her rebellious older sister came home proclaiming she was 'saved' and that all one needed for this was the free gift of God's Grace. Fascinated, Mary-Ann went to church with her sister where she found her good works were as “filthy rags” to God and she surrendered her life to Christ..
Once married, their health deteriorated rapidly and, after spending thousands on medicinal and natural cures, they sought God and He guided them to make dietary changes.
While Mark continued in his career in business, Mary-Ann embarked on a full-time personal quest for a common-sense approach to health and well-being. Her intensive studies into nutrition and natural lifestyle over the past 30 years, led her to develop a simple yet highly effective program that produced un-imagined levels of health and vitality. They have not had a medical bill for 22 years due to ill health!!
7 books later, Mary-Ann has become the best-selling health author in the Southern Hemisphere (according to the publisher)
Many shared how their relationship with God and family has radically improved and many Christians, so motivated by the improvement in their spiritual, physical and financial life, approached their churches to see if they would allow us to teach on 'natural wellness'.
The result has become… Fit 4 God
Why do we do this?
It has taken 10 years since the loss an extremely successful wholefoods business, some serious family issues, and the longest separation in distance and time in our marriage, for God to clearly give us a mandate and a map to take to the church.
That the ‘church’ is in a bad way physically is no secret, and so much time and money is spent by believers on trying to buy their health instead of living it. God wants us fit for Him. He needs an army of healthy, strong, fit soldiers, not an army that is crippled with sinusitis, headaches, migraines, constipation, arthritis, gout, allergies, sleep disorders, premenstrual tension, erectile dysfunction, excess weight, fibromyalgia and every form of lifestyle and diet-related health issue. Some are barely able to make it out of bed in the morning, never mind put on the whole armour of God! The time has come to get Fit 4 God
Many have found that when you improve your diet and lifestyle, you take the focus off yourself and start focussing on others needs. Instead of spending time and money on doctors and medical expenses, you are now spending time and money on God's Purposes. You have more to give in every area and the energy and mental clarity to fulfill God's calling on your life. You and your family will benefit from this in an enormous way. Others have found their relationship with God improved dramatically, as depression and mood swings became a thing of the past. Many marriages have been saved as both husband and wife found their minds and emotions functioning the way God intended them to. You too will find that as health improves, relationships improve, finances improve and the productivity of the local church is dramatically improved as people in the community become healthier.
It's all very well having a purpose-driven life, but if you are too sick or tired to have the energy to live the purpose that God has called you to, you are not going to be able to fulfil the calling He has on your life. The Shearers have, over the years, found that there are 4 distinct areas that we need to be fit in to be able to fulfill that calling God has placed on our lives with the endurance and ability to see it through to the end.
