Jessica Arnold: Formerly Team Dresden

Meet Jessica, our 4th volunteer with Hands On:

I am a junior at Georgia College and State University with an early childhood education major. I hope to be a Kindergarten teacher one day.

I have been a paraprofessional in a Kindergarten and also a live in nanny. In the midst of many family trials and tragedies, I was encouraged to transfer schools and experience college as just a student. I became very involved in BSU and all it had to offer and was interested in doing summer missions. I ended up applying and serving at a camp this past summer which was the best experience of my life. I cannot even begin to share about it in this short biography; but God was at work; and He still is! To make a very long story short, I surrendered to the ministry that summer. It was soon confirmed that my calling would be missions.

The trials I have been through have made me stronger and forced me to rely on God like nothing else would have. Since those trials, I have come in contact with people who are going through the same heartaches I went through. It blesses me to know that I can help them just because I have been where they are. Even if it is just to listen, that means a lot. Just to be able to say “hey, I know what you’re going through, I have been there” means so much to a person who is at a low. In my time, if I am only able to help one person because of a trial I have gone through; I would do it all over again.

This verse sums up my life: Habakkuk 1:5 “Look to the nations and watch- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told.” If someone would have told me I would be where I am today, I would have laughed. However, God had a plan, He still has a plan; it does not end here. Once I gave my whole life over to Him, He was then able to use me to my full potential. I want to be moved out of the way and I just want to be a vessel for Him. I want no glory, no honor, and no recognition. I do not deserve any of it. I just want to proclaim His name.