Many of you will know about this little ministry God has had me doing called God's iPod. Basically we feed tens of thousands of people all over the globe with the Word of God in audio format every day. Right now it's costing me about $1700 per month to run, and this month we're seriously behind on our budget. Our costs were covered by me for the longest time, but being that I am no longer in a financial position to do that, it is supported now by those that feel this is a worthwhile effort. If you would like to become a regular supporter, or make a one-off gift, please go to the donations page where you will find all the info you need. Much thanks!

Welcome to the first review of Rob Bell's Nooma videos. In November 2002, Rob Bell released the first of what is now 15 Nooma videos. The word Nooma is actually a play on the Greek word Pneuma. Pneuma means breath - but more specifically life force, spirit.

Noomas are 11-14 minutes long and very well produced. The topics they cover is varied, some are good for evangelism, but most actually speak to people that already consider themselves believers. In many of them, Rob Bell's passion for the often missing historical perspectives of the New Testament are brought to life. I do find it interesting that Rob still calls Yeshua, Jesus, throughout the series. Yet, the way Rob utters the name Jesus can send a shiver up your spine. It's as though Rob knows Him so personally and with such respect, that even saying His name is an experience.



So let's look at the first Nooma, released in November 2002, and titled RAIN. Each Nooma has only had a one word title. RAIN is a modern day version of the familiar footprints poem that can be found as a poster in every single Christian bookstore on the planet. It starts out with Rob Bell walking around an urban area sharing the story of what happened a couple of years ago when the family was camping in the woods. Walking around a large lake, through thick forest, Rob is carrying his son Trace when about half way around the lake it begins to rain. Trace is ok at first, in his dad's back carrier, but the rain get heavier and heavier. Before too long, they are both drenched and Rob has taken Trace off his back and is carrying him against his chest. Protecting him from the rain as Trace is just crying out, Rob whispers in Trace's ear, "I love you buddy, we're going to make it, dad knows the way home, we're going to make it, I love you...".

Rob relates this to how we go through trials, storms, in life, and where God is during those times. In most Noomas, there's also a side plot, and in this first Nooma, Rob shares how God is ready to carry us and protect us right now as we are with all our messes and issues. God is not waiting for us to be perfect, He wants to carry us now.

At the end of each Nooma, Rob Bell throws out a gentle challenge to the viewer. In RAIN, Rob reminds us how much God loves us, how God carries us like a father carries his son. Rob challenges us to cry out to God and allow Him to wrap His eternal loving arms around us, and hear Him whispering to us, "I love you buddy, we're going to make it, dad knows the way home, we're going to make it, I love you...".

If you've never bought a Nooma before, I always recommend starting with Nooma number 8, DUST, but if you intend to get all 15, go get this one first. The message is eternal and very good for sharing with anyone going through a few bumps in the world right now. Well that's just about all of us right.

Conclusion: Surprisingly modern for a video made 5 years ago, and an incredible result for the first ever Nooma. I give this 5 out of 5 without hesitation.

Rating: 5 out 5.

Purchase Noomas at nooma.com

Over at God's iPod, you can subscribe for free to the Rob Bell Podcast.

Like Winkie Pratney, I'm a science junkie. Today is the Hubble space telescope's 17th birthday, and Nasa has released some simply stunning photos taken by it, like this one below showing stars being born. Click here to view more.

I arrived in New Zealand on a cold windy day, the rain was at a 45 degree angle and traffic was chaos. Ok ok, I was 7 and I have no idea what the weather was like, but Auckland is ALWAYS like that, so it's probably correct.

My grand parents picked me up from the airport and we started going home. Well, MY home. My mother didn't want me, and my grand parents sure didn't either, so I was taken from the airport directly to an Anglican orphanage in Takapuna. (If you have a photo of the orphanage before it was demolished, I'd like to use it here, thanks.) I remember being lead, kicking and screaming into a fully enclosed centre courtyard. I was left behind. For the next several years I was in and out of orphanages, foster homes and the homes of people that wanted to adopt me. I had no desire to be adopted, but neither my mother nor my grand parents wanted me. I was eventually left in the care of the government and ended up in what they called family homes.

When I was 13, I was moved to a government run family home run by Mormons, Peter and Leslie Joyce. Unfortunately Peter and Leslie had a real tempter and his fists liked to fly. I put up with this much longer than i should have, but after a year of physical abuse, and a room mate that like to wake up in the middle of night and stab my mattress with a hunting knife, I skipped school one day and instead went to the government offices to escape and tell them what was going on. Tragically, I was not believed, and these people are caring for young people to this day.

To be continued...

I am going to be posting all the updates fro Winkie on his own blog from now on. And I just posted an update now. Find it right here.

OK, there's a lot going down in my life right now. And I will share it with you, it's just finding the time. My latest video blog, "Worship: Job's response to testing", has had so many viewers it's freaking me out a little. I guess I am trying this new way of living in the Internet age where my life is an open book. I believe young people want to listen to people that are not trying to be perfect, but are open and admit they have hurts and pains too. Right now I have 3 MAJOR tragedies in my life. My relationships, Winkie, who is the closest I have to a father, and my business. All 3 are in critical condition. Talk about a "Job moment".

So I will continue to be more and more open. I believe the enemy hates it. I receive letters from people telling me how much my stories help them. THAT keeps me going. From Lindale, TX, I am touching a small, but global audience of people who in their words, "have found someone real". The reality is, I struggle immensely with sharing certain aspects of my life, because it's invasive. But it's also incredibly freeing. In a culture fostered by the traditional Hebrew way of life though, life was lived not in a community, but in community. That's a subtle difference in print, but a huge difference in reality. In community we don't live in isolation. I will try to do another video blog soon.