I’ve traveled that same road, hiding from God, which is kind of like hiding behind a cactus (hint:                      ).

I’ve traveled that same road, hiding from God, which is kind of like hiding behind a cactus (hint:                                 ).

Wandering down a desert road you don’t recognize, ashamed of your past and uncertain where to
find hope? 

Wandering a desert road you don’t recognize, ashamed of your past,
and uncertain where to find hope? 

ABOUT LESLIE JONES

you can't

Let me share my testimony with you. 

My story proves it's possible to make peace with your past, follow the right road to freedom, and run with confidence the race God set before you.

1 ran far away from God...2,000 miles away, in fact. When I moved from a small town in Pennsylvania to the big city of Las Vegas, I lost myself. 

I turned my back on God and all that I was raised to believe, convinced I knew best and could lead myself in the right direction.

Spoiler alert: I couldn’t.

I went down so many wrong roads, living life in the 'fast lane.' After awhile, I barely recognized who I'd become. 

I began hiding in shame from my mistakes, uncertain if I’d ever find my way back on the right path. 

Then I had an encounter with Jesus that changed my life.

"I’d been caught." 

Continue reading ↓

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As we drove to the detention center downtown, I sat in disbelief that I was about to be booked with a misdemeanor and put in jail. 

How had I fallen so far from the girl I knew God created me to be? I wondered. 

It had been a series of compromises in my integrity that led me to that place. It all started when I moved from a small rural town in Pennsylvania to the bright-lights-big city of Las Vegas...

As I built my new life, I got caught up in the fast-paced lifestyle, experimenting with and engaging in behaviors that were dangerous and unhealthy. I was truly living ‘life in the fast lane.’ 

I will never forget the shame I felt when the police officer handcuffed me and led me through the store to his waiting cruiser in the parking lot. 

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I'd made a mess out of my life and knew something had to change. It took getting arrested for shoplifting for me to fall to my knees, cry out to God, and surrender my life back to Him. 

In His goodness, God heard my cry and spoke to me in the wee hours of the morning when I was locked up. He busted through the bars on my heart, the ones that kept me imprisoned and far from Him. I made a promise that I would stop living for myself and start living for Him. 

There, in that cold, dim jail cell, I recommitted my life to Jesus. It was my ‘road to Damascus’ moment - when God spoke to me very clearly and gave me a new calling. 

I still had to face the consequences of my actions, but I knew with certainty that He would walk alongside me through it all. 

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I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.



by god's grace, I’ve made peace with my past and have developed the strength to keep running the miles to come. 

I'm on a journey now to run my life's race at God's pace instead of my own. As an amateur long-distance runner, I’m familiar with following roads that lead to the finish line. Endurance is needed to finish the race well. My spiritual journey is much like training for a race, and I’ve crawled, walked, skipped and run many miles to get where I am today.

Psalm 40:1-3

became my life verse...

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I have an identical twin sister (Kelly) with the same name as my husband (Kelley)

Whew. That was heavy.
Let’s get to the fun stuff!

I'm a great Road Trip Pal. I've driven across the country 14 times!

I've run 23 half-marathons and 3 marathons. I'll run my fourth in November

I'm writing a historical fiction novel about a lakeside summer hotel.
I love to tell jokes (ask me about my Donkey-Face joke!)

I LOVE to travel: I’ve been to Israel, Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, England, Rhodes, Crete, the British & American Virgin Islands, Aruba, The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Honduras.

My favorite trip was to Israel where I rode a camel, floated in the Dead Sea, and was baptized in the Jordan River



meet My
family

My husband Kelley and I met 20 years ago when he hosted an event for one of my public relations clients. Who knew you could find love in a Las Vegas nightclub? It was 7a.m. and we were working together on a live television broadcast to announce the launch of my client’s new rum company. During filming breaks, our conversations turned more personal and we really hit it off. After a few dates, we both knew we had something special. 

Our wedding was held at my family’s lakeside Victorian-era hotel in western New York during a three-day weekend celebration. I battled infertility for several years, but in 2015, God blessed us with our son Ryder. Team Jones has been complete ever since. 

We’ve made our home in Las Vegas, and enjoy both the bright lights and the beautiful desert surroundings. While most people refer to Vegas as Sin City, we like to call it Grace City because “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). 

I earned my BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN JOURNALISM & PUBLIC RELATIONS from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In 2001,  I moved to Las Vegas to work in the Travel & Tourism industry. My clients included hotels and casinos, restaurants, and nightclubs, and I walked my fair share of celebrities down the red carpets at star-studded event openings. 

I wanted to make a difference in the world, so I parlayed my talents into the non-profit sector, earning a certificate in Non-Profit Management from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). For a decade, I promoted and raised funds for Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation. My proudest moment was when we opened the first preschool for blind children in Nevada’s state history!

My love for God’s word is deep. I dove headfirst into studying the Bible and earned a certificate in Biblical Studies & Ministerial Leadership through The Academy of Ministry at Central Church

Here Are a Few of My Favorite Achievements:

I’d love to share a message that inspires attendees to run their life's race well.

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