Jeff Leslie

Several years ago a Hollywood producer posted an open call for songs for a TV movie he was making about a girl who's in love with a man she keeps painting in her artwork. Another guy comes along a vies for her love. Dale King and I wrote a couple of songs together and submitted them. They were appreciative but kindly rejected.

I especially liked one idea and thought it could be converted to a Christian song. After over a dozen rewrites, this is what I ended up with. We hope you like it. Thanks to Dale for the melody and Jeff Conte again for his fine vocals. All glory to God!

"WITH YOU IN MY WORLD"
By Jeff Leslie/Dale King 3/08/04-9/7/2020
v.1
I love to paint Your portrait, Lord
You mean so much to me
Every shade of color shows
Your love for all to see
v.2
Above you there are angels singing
Songs to bring You praise
Your arms are reaching out to me
And a smile is on Your face
-Chorus
With You in my world, I will always have a friend
With You in my world, the love will never end
Just give me a canvas,
I will find new ways of praising You, my Lord
As I paint my happiness with You in my world
v.3
When I paint a waterfall
I make the vapor rise
And You are there to watch it all
With a rainbow by Your side
v.4
I could draw You flying
With the moon upon Your wings
With You in my world I feel
That I have everything
----
Repeat Chorus
-Bridge
All it takes to make my watercolor world complete
Are the colors of the love You give to me
-Chorus
With You in my world, I will always have a friend
With You in my world, the love will never ends
Just give me a canvas,
I will find new ways of praising You, my Lord
As I paint my happiness with You in my world
Yes, I paint my happiness with You in my world

Hello All.

I hope this finds you well.  This song goes back 34 years.  I had not been disabled long (4 years) and was still coming to terms with it.  I did not do any songwriting for a couple of years after my accident out of rebellion and wondering what was the point.  I was given a Commodore 64 computer that was set up so I could reach it and type with a mouth stick. Then when I began pecking away, the words and emotions poured out of me and I felt I had purpose again and it gave me a reason to go on.  I had the means at the time  to make simple recordings and I sent the song recently to my good friend Jeff Conte and asked him to sing it for me.  He heartily agreed so I made an updated track and put his wonderful vocal with it.  We hope you are blessed by it.

"SILVER MORNING"  
by  Jeff Leslie    6/86, 5/17/2020

There's a promise that I've read of a day that lies ahead
To the future from the past through eternity will last
Beyond the span of time
And I know this promise is true
Because I've seen what He can do
And I'm looking so forward to
Being there by His side

On that sweet silver morning
So precious to me
On that sweet silver morning
When Jesus I see

There are times alone I've prayed when in the dark afraid
I close my eyes and dream of the day from all my fears
I will be free
And I know His promise is true
Because I've seen what He can do
And I'm looking so forward to
That heavenly peace

On that sweet silver morning
So precious to me
On that sweet silver morning
When Jesus I see

The Spirit wind will blow    
An angel choir will sing
As the sky begins to glow  
With the glory of the King  

On that sweet silver morning
So precious to me
On that sweet silver morning
When Jesus I see
(rpt.)

On that sweet silver morning
On that sweet silver morning
On that sweet silver morning , morning

I added a new song to my playlist. "Crimson Rose" which was recently awarded as a finalist in the Great American Song Contest. (expired link) it is a Christian song but they placed it in the Adult Contemporary section. I wrote the lyrics. Vitor Talhadas, a very talented songwriter and arranger from Portugal wrote the music, and Jeff Conte a singer/songwriter from the states (I don't remember where he lives), provided the vocals. I have worked with both songwriters for many years. . We hope you enjoy it.

“CRIMSON ROSE”
by Jeff Leslie and Vitor Talhadas
© 2012, 2020

I'll bet you that you never knew
At the start when roses grew
The hue that colored every bloom was white as cotton
Up and down their leafy stems
Thorns were never found on them
Soft were they as baby's skin and smooth as satin

Then one day across the sea
When Jesus died on that tree
To set the sinners free to see the Father
Roses growing on that hill
Felt a cold and bitter chill
From His precious blood that spilled on them with water

There's a message now
With each crimson rose I see
They remind me how
Jesus died to set us free

Taking on the blood He shed
Cotton white turned crimson red
And thorns that crowned the Savior's head now prick our fingers
But their fragrance that fills the air
Is the sweetest fragrance anywhere
The scent of love that God will share with us forever

For one day across the sea
When Jesus died on that tree
To set the sinners free to see the Father
Roses growing on that hill
Felt a cold and bitter chill
From His precious blood that spilled on them with water

There's a message now
With each crimson rose I see
They remind me how
Jesus died to set us free
(rpt.2x)

There's a message now
With each crimson rose I see
They remind me how
With the water and the blood He shed
And the crown of thorns around His head
Jesus died upon the cross to set us free

I put "Miracle" back on my playlist because it seems to be a favorite of my listeners. I am glad you are enjoying "Never Be The Same". It is #1 in Christian music this week. I may change a song after one of these has run its course. But I eventually come back to the standards.

I am enjoying good health. I think God for that and I appreciate your prayers.

Fall is in full bloom and it is nice to see the changing colors. The holidays are just around the corner. I pray God keep you safe as you fly like an eagle under His wing.

I always try to give you a poem or lyric to draw you closer to our Lord. I hope you are blessed by this.

"ONLY HE"
By Jeff Leslie

Who created everything
Only He, only He
Simply saying "Let there be..."
Only He, only He

Who leaves footprints on the sea
Calms the storm into a breeze
Who can calm the storm in me
Only He, only He

Who has power for the weak
Only He, only He
Who brings Satan to his knees
Only He, only He

Who makes miracles with ease
Heals the sick of all disease
Who can meet our every need
Only He, only He

Who can set the captive free
Only He, only He
Who forgives of sin's debris
Only He, only He

Who knows how we're going to plea
Who will always intercede
Who has grace for even me
Only He, only He

Who is crossing every T
Only He, only He
With a sacrificial tree
Only He, only He

Oh you know His history
In the tomb for days of three
Now from death Who holds the keys
Only He, only He

Who has risen without wings
Only He, only He
Who resides in praise we sing
Only He, only He

Who will bless those who believe
Who is coming back for these
Full of gifts we can't conceive
Only He, only He

Who made heavens never seen
Only He, only He
Who brings truth to every dream
Only He, only He

Who has been, will always be
Lord of lords and King of kings
Mighty God and Prince of Peace
Only He, only He

Hello friends. I have added a new song to my queue. "When I Catch Your Breath" is a reference to the moment when Jesus was with the disciples after having risen from the grave. According to John 20:22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit." (NIV) it is my prayer that you have the peace that you can receive only by knowing Christ.

''WHEN I CATCH YOUR BREATH''
by Jeff Leslie


When I'm weak and heavy laden
From the weight of every day
I will slip into my heart and close the door
You are always in there waiting
When I call upon your Name
And without a word my peace will be restored

When I catch Your breath, Your Spirit comes to me
When I catch Your breath, Your Spirit comforts me
And Your Spirit brings me peace
And then a part of You becomes a part of me

Now the peace that You have given
Is a portion of your grace
Hidden like a treasure in my heart
When I'm weak and heavy laden
I will seek Your holy face
Then the thought of You will take me where You are

When I catch Your breath, Your Spirit comes to me
When I catch Your breath, Your Spirit comforts me
And Your Spirit brings me peace
And then a part of You becomes a part of me

Spirit of the living God fall fresh on me
Spirit of the living God fall

When I catch Your breath, Your Spirit comes to me
When I catch Your breath, Your Spirit comforts me
And Your Spirit brings me peace
And then a part of You becomes a part of me

It’s such a mystery
How Jesus comforts me

I come to you this month not to talk about myself or where my songs are on the charts, but rather about God's love. A love we cannot imagine. A love we cannot measure from a God who knows us completely and loves us endlessly.

"MY LOVE FOR YOU IS MORE"
By Jeff Leslie 7/18/2016

I have a question for my Savior
Help me understand dear Lord
Is there a way that I can measure
All the love You have in store

Came an answer from the Father
"See how high the eagles soar
Then entreat how deep's the water
Filling every ocean's floor

My love for you is more
My love for you is more

Live a lifetime by the seaside
Count the waves that wash the shore
Add the stars that span at midnight
With the wind in a mighty storm

My love for you is more
My love for you is more

My death was only part of love
New life is what I'm speaking of
Now estimate the drops of rain
From Noah's flood till Kingdom come
And keep in mind the times I let them pour

My love for you is more
My love for you is more
My love for you is more
My love for you is more.

When you see me face-to-face my child
Then you will understand
Love is more than how I feel
Love is what I am!"


Now spread the Word,
Jeff

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After at least three weeks of the top spot in Missouri, "Miracle" is dethroned by "The Answer To Everything". I appreciate your support so much! If everyone on the mailing list today will take 15 minutes to listen to all three of my songs, I might get the top three spots. The ranking is not that important, but it has been fun.

I appreciate the mail I have been getting from you, also. It's always nice to get a note of encouragement now and then. Let me take this opportunity to encourage each of you to keep your faith and trust in God. His love for you is so great. "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand." John 10:28,29 (NIV)

Love and Peace to you all!
Jeff

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We did! it!
I say "we" because I could not have done it without you. My song, Miracle, reached #1 on the charts for Missouri on the number one music website last month. A big thank you to all of you subscribers that have supported me. I am including a link to a recording of Miracle when I first wrote it circa 1980. I thought you might find it interesting.
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May was a very productive month for me lyric-wise. I am also including one of them with this newsletter. Do any of you write music or poetry? I would love to hear any songs that you have written, or poetry you have penned. I wouldn't mind if any of you tried putting music to lyrics I have written. I enjoyed collaborating with other writers.

There is no other news to speak of. I pray you all are doing well. I appreciate your email and I pray God's blessings on you as you continue to walk in His glorious light.

Jeff

"BE MY FRIEND"
By Jeff Leslie 5/12/2016

How I loved the times we talked within the garden
Then I cried for 40 days because you sinned
Though you turned your back on Me
Even blinded eyes can see
I gave everything for you to be My friend

Be My friend
Be My friend
I gave everything for you to be My friend

Oh, I know to you it seems that I am hiding
What I truly Am you cannot comprehend
And it's best to be surprised
For you won't believe your eyes
All I have for you if you would be My friend

Be My friend
Be My friend
I gave everything for you to be My friend

For you I gave my only Son
So you could see what love becomes
His blood was shed to wash your sins away
Then after death He rose again
And now My Spirit lives within
Just listen with your heart, you'll hear Me say

Be My friend
Be My friend
I gave everything for you to be My friend

Hello friends.
It has been a while since I've written you. There has not been any news to speak of. I hope you had a good Mother's Day to those of you who are mothers. I was able to enjoy time with my mom, and of course my wife, too.
The Lord blessed me with a new poem I would like to share with you. I hope you are blessed by it. Feel free to copy it and pass it around. Till next time, I wish the best for you that God can provide.

"I LOOKED THEN AGAIN"
by Jeff Leslie 5/03/2016

I looked at myself
But through my eyes only
And all of my sin
Was all I could see
I looked then again
Through Him who is holy
Forgiveness from Him
Is cleansing for me

I looked at the world
And it was alarming
Starvation and war
Was all I could see
I looked then again
Through Him who is holy
And He's given hope
For all who believe

I looked at the sky
Toward heaven for Jesus
A blanket of stars
Was all I could see
I looked then again
Through Him who is holy
And deep in my heart
He's living in me

I looked at mankind
At those who don't know Him
I started to judge
And shame came to be
I looked then again
Through Him who is holy
To lead them to Him
He left up to me

Hello friends,

I have a new song added to my playlist. "Call Upon His Name"  comes from a song written by Jeff Conte.  We have worked together before.  I wrote new lyrics and changed the structure of his song a little.  He was behind me all the way and contributed piano, organ, and his fine vocals.  I programmed the drums, bass, and guitar.  Give it a listen, please. I think you have to copy the link and place it in your browser. After a week or so, the song may be moved near the bottom of the list with my other collaborations since I am not doing the vocal.
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I also made a video for "Kingdom Of The Son" kindly requested by one of you.
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"Miracle" was #10 this week. It's always encouraging to make the top 10 at this site. Thanks and keep listening!

God bless,
Jeff

Happy New Year everybody!

Did you have a nice holiday season? I have been adding songs to my Reverbnation site weekly. This week is a musical illustration on how I took one song that I had written and made it better. The first song was written and recorded before I became disabled and I played all the instruments. And the second, recorded after I became disabled, I used pretty much the same music but improved the layout and the lyrics. I also hired a studio to produce it. Glory and Honor and Praise is the opening track from my CD, Never Be The Same, which is further down my playlist.

The five songs following G H and P were all recorded before I became disabled. After which begins the songs from my latest CD, Miracle. Which has already been out there for quite a while.

Each week, Lord willing, I will be adding a new song to the list. They will most likely be from before my diving accident. So keep checking on me please.

The video link is a song cowritten with Tim Akers who also does the vocals. I wrote the lyrics.

May God bless you and give you a prosperous 2016.

Jeff

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Holiday greetings to all my friends and welcome to my new subscribers.

Do you have your Christmas shopping finished and your houses or apartments all decorated? Isn't this a terrific time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ? It's my prayer that you have a safe holiday season and that you get time to spend with your family and loved ones.

At my reverb nation music site, I have added a few songs that I recorded before my diving accident. They are the first three songs on the list. I sang and played all the instruments. You will probably be able to tell a noticeable difference in my voice. I was much younger and it was in the immediate years after I graduated from college. The first song, "A New Life", was later rewritten with different lyrics to become "Friend Of A Sinner". In the second song, "Better Man", I tried my hand at rocking out with the lead guitar while singing about the man I want to be. The third song is an earlier version of "A Kind Word". The young girl singing with me was one of my Junior high school choir students. There is a solo studio version further down in the playlist and a video of me singing live among my video collection. (I was a little heavier then.)

I wrote a Christmas lyric a few years back that I'd like to share with you. You have the freedom to copy it and send it around as long as you acknowledge my authorship and copyright.

May God bless you and keep you in his everlasting love and peace.
Jeff

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“ON THIS CHRISTMAS EVE, JESUS COME”
by Jeff Leslie

An evergreen is glowing in the corner of our room
With colored lights and tinsel where they're hung.
My child peeks up the chimney, seeking Santa's point of view
I smile and wait for Someone else to come

On this Christmas Eve I would much rather see
Jesus come. Jesus come.
So open the sky. I am eager to fly.
Jesus come. Jesus come.
Instead of presents under the tree,
Allow me to bow, precious Lord, at Your feet.
On this Christmas Eve I would much rather see
Jesus come. Jesus come. Jesus come

Outside I've staged the likeness of the manger where You laid
With statues standing frozen in the cold.
My child runs out to watch for flying reindeer and a sleigh.
I follow for more beauty to behold.

On this Christmas Eve I would much rather see
Jesus come. Jesus come.
So open the sky. I am eager to fly.
Jesus come. Jesus come.
Instead of presents under the tree,
Allow me to bow, precious Lord, at Your feet.
On this Christmas Eve I would much rather see
Jesus come. Jesus come. Jesus come

Then I whispered in her little ear
How You're coming to set us free.
Now on Christmas Eve from year to year
She'll be watching for You with me.

On this Christmas Eve we would much rather see
Jesus come. Jesus come.
So open the sky. We are eager to fly.
Jesus come. Jesus come.
Instead of presents under the tree,
Allow us to bow, precious Lord, at Your feet.
On this Christmas Eve we would much rather see
Jesus come. Jesus come. Jesus come.

© 2012 Jeff Leslie. All Rights Reserved.