Saving someone's soul

[AgentCOPP1]

***Note, this is not a "girl advice" thread, it's a lot more serious. It's a long read, so bear with me haha.***

Hello everyone. I've come on here to ask you for some advice. I'm a junior in high school right now. There is this girl in my Spanish class named Julie. Even though she has a boyfriend, she seems to have taken on an affinity to me for some reason or another. Out of all of the people in my class, she's the one that always wants to be my partner, talk to me etc. I haven't done anything really to produce this attention. I've just kind of been myself. By no means am I popular in my school, so I don't know what it is about me that she likes, but whatever it is, she likes it. But that's besides the point.

Anyway, she is that kind of person that likes life in the fast lane, if you know what I mean. She is extremely pretty, and her personality is amazing, so she has a lot of friends (keep this thought in mind for later on). She likes to party, get high/drunk, and all of that jazz. However she is still one of the sweetest people I have ever met, and I can see a really soft spot in her heart. Her boyfriend is in much respect the same way.

Here's the kicker: she has brain cancer. She doesn't talk about it too much, but quite honestly I don't know for how long she will live. She's never really said, and I don't really want to ask.

So, being the Christian that I am, this has unsettled me quite a bit. It seems God has led me right to her somehow, and this unremitting feeling has saturated my conscience, and it says that I have to do something about it. I have the opportunity to ask her to come to church. If she keeps living the way she is, she will most certainly not make it to heaven if/when she dies. Her agnosticism doesn't help too much either.

So basically this is what I'm asking: how am I going to get past my parents' thick skulls to get them to believe that I'm not pursuing Julie for her looks (out of my natural sexual desire), but rather to save her soul? How can I change Julie's beliefs about things? Where do I start? She is so enveloped in the world that I honestly don't know if she can come out of it, but I still want to try. Only God knows.

So if you can give me your thoughts, I would appreciate it.

Edit: Forgot to make this point. The fact that she has a lot of friends, I think, causes her to not want a relationship with God. The world is substituting the love of God for the love of other things. Kind of like how Jesus said "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter through the kingdom of heaven." Of course he goes on later to say that through Jesus, anything is possible, but that's just... I don't know maybe I need to trust in Jesus more haha.

 

[Girder of Loins]

Show her agape. St. Francis of Assisi said,"Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words." You don't need to debate her, you need to show her God's love through you.

 

[Jesse Marie]

^^^ I agree 100%. It's all about showing her God's love, through you. If she feel agnostic or simply does not know Him at all, it will not help (typically) to just start quoting scriptures at her. Pray for her comfort and healing, and love thy neighbor unconditionally.

It might help to remind your parents that good samaritans help those who are in need, and those who need help are chosen by God, not us. (At least, this is what I have always been taught, you might believe something slightly different )

 

[ClassyCassiopeia]

you need to show her God's love through you.

 

[FlyingOwl]

Yeah, I agree with the others. You've got to just let God's love shine through you and keep on praying for her (I will be too, definitely!). And it won't hurt to invite her to church sometime, especially if there is a more social/youth event kind of thing. Maybe some of the music or Christian people she meets there will get her thinking. I'll be praying for you both

 

[HarborOrange]

DO NOT take her to church. Honestly. So many fall away because they see all of the hypocrisy.
Instead, urge her to just start reading the Scriptures, start to finish. Of course, you may be asking," Well, what about Jesus?"
He's all over the Old Testament.

Also, it is of my opinion that you can't truly follow his ways, or come out of the world if you just read the second part of the book. The Old Testament is filled with HOW you get out. The New Testament then continues on those points, and shows you how by exemplifying it through the Messiah.

Just my two-cents. I think the church kills, generally, instead of saves. I know it's a harsh thing to say. But, I've seen it too often.

 

[PaxThroughX]

DO NOT take her to church. Honestly. So many fall away because they see all of the hypocrisy.
Instead, urge her to just start reading the Scriptures, start to finish. Of course, you may be asking," Well, what about Jesus?"
He's all over the Old Testament.

Also, it is of my opinion that you can't truly follow his ways, or come out of the world if you just read the second part of the book. The Old Testament is filled with HOW you get out. The New Testament then continues on those points, and shows you how by exemplifying it through the Messiah.

Just my two-cents. I think the church kills, generally, instead of saves. I know it's a harsh thing to say. But, I've seen it too often.

I have to agree with you. You should encourage her to read the scriptures, then have her decide to go to church or not. Dont trust the church to save her. Trust the Creator.