Alyson Shedd
Alyson was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she was miraculously saved at the age 14 through the witness of another Christian family who loved her into the Kingdom of God.
She met the love of her life, Brad Shedd, while they were both college students at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Alyson received a bachelor degree in Vocal Performance and Music Education, and Brad earned his bachelor degree in Violin Performance and Music Education. Together, their love for music and serving others with the love of the Lord Jesus Christ made them a “match made in Heaven” from they day they met. Alyson told Brad before they married that she was called to minister as his helpmate no matter where that would take them, as long as they could be together.
Alyson’s love for music and singing has taken her halfway around the world and back, from qualifying as a national finalist for the United States Singing Sergeants in 1987 to singing throughout churches in Europe to performing in America’s amusement parks in 1986-1988. Her skills in front of the public were developed as she won two pageant titles, placing her as a finalist in the Miss Ohio Pageant in 1988 and 1989.
Brad and Alyson were married in 1990 and two years later left Cincinnati to answer God’s call to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where Brad earned his Master of Divinity degree at Regent University, and Alyson taught music in the Chesapeake Public School System. In 1995, Alyson was named the Elementary Teacher of the Year for the Chesapeake Public Schools.
During the time between 1993-1999, Alyson performed supporting lead roles in 15 musical theater productions for the Virginia Musical Theatre.
Her love for teaching music led her to direct over 80 children’s musical productions and 10 summer music camps, serving hundreds of children from Ohio to Virginia.
Meanwhile, the Lord sovereignly began placing in their path beautiful Christian families who highly valued the blessing of children . . . many children. Although this was a foreign concept to Alyson and Brad, they sought the Lord diligently on what the Bible really had to say about surrendering this part of their marriage to His Lordship. Through tears of repentance and the joy of forgiveness, Alyson now walks in her highest and most noble calling . . . that of wife and mother to seven children.
Alyson is the helpmate to her husband in his pastoral ministry at Harvest Assembly of God for the Household Worship Service (see www.harvestva.org/hws), There Alyson and their three oldest children serve in leading worship, and Brad ministers through expository Bible preaching. Together, they are called to equip, teach, and mature the Body of Christ to lead families in an unashamed pursuit of holiness, set apart to be salt and light to a society of broken, dysfunctional homes. Through absolutely no merit of their own, Alyson and Brad live by the mercy and grace that covers them for this time they are given on this earth.
The titles and accolades were pleasant for a season, but now Alyson lives out Philippians 3:13-14 as one of her life verses—
“. . . but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (NIV).
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