MatthewAndLizi.com

We Moved…

Matthew Bailey — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:19:09 +0000

Hey guys! Hope you are well! We just moved back to Georgia after 9 great years in Houston, TX. We miss our friends already in Houston, but we will be going back some to lead worship there. We have old friends here in in GA and we are making new ones too. We have been able to do a little studio work here and we have led worship at a few new places. Lizi should be recording some of her own stuff next month with our buddy Jason Hoard. Merry Christmas!!!

Heading into fall…

Matthew Bailey — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:18:47 +0000

Hey guys! Lizi and I are leading worship at a lot of different places this fall (I need to update our events…I can be slow about doing that). Lizi just wrote a song with Jimmy Needham that sounds really cool. He is working on songs for his next album. Cool guy! Lizi will hopefully be recording an album soon with our buddy Jason Hoard. They are having a rough time working out a date…Lord have your way!
I’ll keep you posted. God bless!
Matthew

Lizi: my trip to Southern Sudan

Matthew Bailey — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:22:50 +0000

How does this work?
How can I convey the depth of need I saw?
I have to tell you about ‘In Deed and Truth’ Ministries. Sabet and Suzy Kuj, along with their 3 children and Oochie the Dog, live on a compound in rural South Sudan. They run a health clinic, lead a church, and train pastors from all over the area.
Sabet is Sudanese and Suzy is British. Sabet and Suzy love the people of South Sudan. And so they work for them. They pray for them. They sacrifice for them.
It is so hot. Nothing comes easily. There are generators and solar panels, cement buildings and metal roofs. There is a small garden.
In the villages there is no electricity or running water. Families live in one-room mud huts, sometimes 10 or more per home. They cook over open fires and wash dishes in buckets.
At the clinic there is Doctor Tom from Florida, Stephanie the beautiful young midwife from Nevada, Dennis the Kenyan Clinical officer (Physician’s Assistant), Margeret the Nurse/Midwife from Sierra Leone, Pritty, the Pharmacist from Kenya as well as several young Sudanese men who assist and translate.
In the presence of these, I felt I was in the presence of heroes.
These amazing people get up every morning, eat breakfast together, have a devotional time led by Sabet, and spend their days serving the men, women and children who come to them from as far away as three days’ walk. The needs are overwhelming. There is often improvisation. Lives are saved. Prayers are prayed. Death is common. Love is given in the form of medicine, knowledge, delivered babies, dressed wounds. It is incredible to see.
Since spending time with the Kuj family and the staff of In Deed and Truth, I keep asking myself, “What now?” I cannot get the images out of my mind. The stark, unforgiving poverty and what it looks like, is embedded in my mind.
Children carrying plastic water bottles full of filthy water.
The boy we prayed and sang over, dying from an illness that could’ve been successfully treated in any hospital in the U.S. and the wails of his family when he died later that day.
The hand-dug well, yielding only dirty, cloudy water, from which I saw a mother draw and drink and give a drink to her small child.
Things that just should not be, I have so much. My children are healthy and safe and clean. For this I am thankful and do not feel guilt, only a desire to not settle for my comfort and forget those who have so little.
We are not all meant to go and live in South Sudan. We are not all meant to become doctors and nurses.
But we are not meant to do nothing.
I keep reading of God’s heart for the poor and oppressed…of his desire for justice for the marginalized of the world. I ask Him, “Why don’t you fix it? Why don’t you eradicate the bad guys and save the helpless?”
He does not answer. And then I think that I am supposed to care about what He cares about and so I should be working to fix it. I should be spending myself on behalf of the needy. I am His body after all.
Do I truly believe it?
What can I do?
I haven’t figured it out yet. But I will not do nothing. To start I am giving money to In Deed and Truth and Aid Sudan. It will be well-used.
I am an eyewitness. I have seen and I cannot forget. I feel the presence of the people I met. I feel responsible.
I am home now. I am comfortable again. I am well.
But they are still thirsty, sick, naked, poor.
It was such an honor to meet the Kuj family and the staff of In Deed and Truth. I continue to pray for them and support their ministry. I pray you will join us!
Isaiah 58.6-12 says…
“Is this not the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
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THEN shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, THEN shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom shall be as the noonday.
And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”
www.indeedandtruth.org
www.aidsudan.org
www.midwife4jesus.blogspot.com

Summer update…

Matthew Bailey — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:09:42 +0000

Hey guys. Life is busy and hot here in Houston! Lizi took a life changing trip to Sudan…you can read about that on our blog page. Lizi is going to be producing an album for Ashley Brusenhan in July…that should be cool. Fun stuff!!!!

Lizi is opening for Christy Nockels March 5 at Masterpiece Conference!

Matthew Bailey — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:10:19 +0000

This should be fun! Doors open at 6:30pm and tickets are $10 at the door. It’s at Central Baptist Church in College Station. Hope to see you there!

Lizi in ATL…

Matthew Bailey — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:09:58 +0000

Hey guys. Lizi had a cool opportunity come up….she will be in Atlanta for the next couple days doing some song writing with Christy Nockels at Chris Tomlin’s cabin….fun! Pray that they are able to write some cool stuff!

Baby Daisy…born July 5th!

Matthew Bailey — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 20:51:56 +0000

We are so excited to let you know about our new baby girl…Daisy! She is beautiful and healthy….thanks Lord! We’ve taken some time off, but we are about to lead a ton at our home church this fall. We will also lead at ecclesia in Houston and some other churches here and there. We are working on music and loving on our babies. Hope you are all having a great summer!

Hey there…

Matthew Bailey — Fri, 07 May 2010 19:54:05 +0000

Lizi recently had a great time performing some of her songs at a women’s event at Lakewood UMC in Spring,TX called Chicks and Chocolate…cool name! The women were a great support and encouragement to her and we are grateful. Lizi’s mom was able to go with her and she loved it!

We lead at our church Faithbridge half of the Sundays…and we will be there the next 4 weeks. Then we will lead at Bear Creek in west Houston the next week (never been there, but we’ve heard great things). After that we will be at Grace Fellowship in Katy,TX. Its always great being there with some of our good friends. The following week we’re back at Faithbridge. THEN we will take a little time off for Lizi to birth our new baby girl!!!! Not sure on a name yet… We’re both writing new music these days and Lizi is about to go to Target : )

Matthew & Lizi EP – credits

Matthew Bailey — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:52:46 +0000

Track 1 - You Alone Are God

written by Lizi Bailey

produced by Jason Hoard

drums – Josh Fisher; bass – Pat Malone; guitar – Jason Hoard; keys, vocals, BGVs – Lizi

Track 2 – Healer

written by Lizi & Matthew Bailey

produced by Jason Hoard and Lizi Bailey

drums – Rob Hardie; bass & guitar – Jason Hoard; piano, vocals, – Lizi Bailey; BGVs – Matthew Bailey

Track 3 - Peace

written by Matthew Bailey

produced by Jason Hoard

drums – Josh Fisher; bass – Pat Malone; guitar – Jason Hoard; keys, BGVs – Lizi; vocals – Matthew

Track 4 – Love Moves

written by Lizi Bailey

produced by Jason Hoard and Lizi Bailey

drums – Scott Meeder; bass – Pat Malone; guitar – Jason Hoard; piano, vocals, – Lizi Bailey

Track 5 - Trace The Lines

written by Lizi Bailey

produced by Jason Hoard and Lizi Bailey

drums – Scott Meeder; bass – Pat Malone; guitar & BGVs – Jason Hoard; piano, vocals, – Lizi Bailey

Track 6 – King Of Love

written and produced by Lizi Bailey

piano & vocals – Lizi Bailey; cello – Max Dyer

Tracks 1-5 mixed by David Zaffiro and recorded by Jason Hoard at Black Cat Studio in Griffin, GA

Track 6 mixed and recorded by Thomas Ashworth

All tracks mastered by Bob Boyd at Ambient Digital

EP cover photo captured by Cody Bess; EP sleeve design by Asher Castillo

Listen to the Matthew & Lizi EP

Matthew Bailey — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:34:05 +0000