Shepherd, who prefers to be called Shep, played football as a student at Florida Atlantic University. After graduating, Shep played in the NFL for both the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Shep eventually turned down a multimillion dollar contract to join the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as a chaplain.

His presentations are as relevant as they are timeless. He is one of the leading authorities today on Hope and Transformation. His influence is global. His philosophy is simple: Tough times do not last, Tough people do!