Ever feel like there are some things you can't change about yourself however hard you try? Some bad habits just seem set in stone? And when it comes to some of the more admirable qualities that you'd like to have - patience, courage, honesty - you're just about stony broke?

The Bible describes all human beings as having "hearts of stone": that is, we're so conditioned to sin, to offend against God and even our own consciences that we just can't avoid messing up. We've got about as much chance of pleasing God and living right as a statue has of dancing the can-can.

But the Bible also contains a wonderful offer: that God can change us, replacing our stone hearts with "hearts of flesh": warm, human, loving hearts.

There's a powerful moment in the famous book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (recently made into a film) where all the Witch's captives who have been turned to stone are breathed upon by the Lion, Aslan. His breath infuses them with life and they are set free from the Witch's captivity and dance for joy.

It's just a story - but it points to an exciting reality: Jesus, alive forever, having risen from death, can breathe the life of His Spirit into cold stone hearts, causing us to be reborn - alive, free, dancing for sheer joy.

Just ask Him.