Jesus says, “You are my friends, if you do what I command,” (John 15:14). We are building a strong bond with our Lord Jesus Christ when we obey His Commandments. At the dawn of the New Year BETTY AMUKPO takes on some children on how to enhance their relationship with Jesus. And they respond thus:
‘Share the greater love to my friends and my family’
The book of John 15:12-13: verse 12 states “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” while in verse 13, it is written, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” I will make Jesus more of my friend by sharing the greater love to my friends and my family. By reading more of Godly books, especially the Bible, obey and reject as well as forbid evil because Jesus is a lover of good.

• Gideon Eyinade
‘Love and obey Him, our obedience to Him proves our friendship with Jesus’
Jesus is love and love is Jesus, to make Jesus my friend in the year 2023 is to do as Jesus has commanded us to do.” Love one another.” The book of John 13:34-35 states: “But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples.” Jesus said we are His friends if we do what He commands us and this is to love and obey him, and our obedience to Him proves our friendship with Jesus. Intimately we are to love all, because we are all made in the image and likeness of God.

• Victoria Okefe
‘Invite Him into my heart and to our home, to show our friendship’
How I will make Jesus my friend this year? Jesus calls us to be His friends but we must also accept His call and I will do that by doing the following:
• (Luke 19:1-10): Zachaeus was a sinner but when he met Jesus he invited Him into his home. I will invite Him into my heart and to our home, to show our friendship.
• I will talk to Jesus and listen more to Him.
• Spend time with Him in the Blessed Sacrament.
• Stop doing things that offend Him.

• Ebubechukwu Chinedu
‘I will be more committed in things that please my best friend “Jesus’
Without Jesus in my life, my life is worthless. Jesus is all I got in life. He is my best and priceless friend without Him I can do nothing. In this year 2023, I will be more committed in things that please my best friend “Jesus”.
• I will always pray to Him for guidance.
• I will always attend Sunday Masses
• I will always visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament
• I will always receive Him during the Holy Communion celebration.
• I will always invite Him to study with me, eat with me and play with me. Jesus is always the way, truth and the life. He is everything to me. “I love you Jesus.” Benefit of being a friend to Jesus.
• I have this boldness and confident through faith in Him (Ephesians 3:12)
• Through His faithfulness, He will strengthen me and guard me from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3).
• There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend. (John 15:13).

• Chima Anita.
‘Being prayerful’
I will make Jesus more of my friend in 2023 by:
1. Being prayerful: I will always be prayerful or be in the mood of prayer so that God will always come to my aid.
2. Repenting from my sin: I will repent from my sins by going for confession and resolve to sin no more.
3. Keeping his commandment: I will always keep the ten commandments of God not to fall into mortal sin that leads to hell fire.
4. By preaching the gospel to people: I will preach the gospel of repentance to people for according to the Bible in Matt 3:1-3 when John the Baptist was preaching, he said, “Turn away from your sins.”
5. By showing people the way to God: i will do this by living a good Christian life worthy of emulation, teach people how to pray and behave well in church especially during Mass. Proverb 22:6 it says “Teach a child in the way….”
6. Obey the commandment of God.

• Anyasor Chibuike