Josh and Alyssa Bridges
Josh first came to MMR as a rancher in 2009. He went on to attend the School of Discipleship in 2013 and 2016, then joined the ranks of staff in the fall of 2017. Alyssa was a student from 2016-2018 and they married in October 2018. Josh serves as the Program Director; his job primarily entails scheduling retreats and overseeing summer camp. Josh and Alyssa both have a passion for discipling young men and women and enjoy the opportunities the Ranch avails them. Josh and Alyssa welcomed their first baby, Tessa, in November of 2019!
The Bridge’s Newsletter
October 2020
Dear friends and family,
Yes, we are still here at the ranch in Pennsylvania. We apologize that it has been so long since our previous newsletter. A lot has happened since April, but I will be mindful to keep this concise.
We praise God that we were still able to have summer camp this year, though it looked different than usual. Truthfully, it was a very daunting task trying to figure out how to have summer camp while still meeting the state’s extensive list of regulations regarding Covid-19. The board settled on the decision to host four and a half weeks of day camps. We were encouraged to see each week completely fill up and when all was said and done we were privileged to host around 400 kids!
Summer camp was followed by the graduation of the School of Discipleship students in August. We cannot adequately express how much we love watching God work in the lives of these young men and women. Our advisor students, Caleb and Matthew, were so fun to build friendships with. It is bittersweet to say goodbye, but we are excited to see what God has for them.
In September, orientation began for the class of 2021. This year is smaller with only 15 students in the School of Discipleship. Nonetheless, there are benefits in having a close staff to student ratio and we are excited to get to know them better individually. With the numbers being lower, we will not be an advisor family to any of the students this year. We are making it our goal to be watchful for discipleship opportunities in other avenues.
This fall has been jam-packed with retreats and events, and it has been a joy to interact with visitors again. With the capacity regulations that are in place, we are having to decrease the number of available registration spots. This, in addition to the decreased student applications, has caused a decrease in the Ranch’s income. Despite all of this, God is providing for the ministry through donations and equipment/horse sales.
Earlier this month Josh and I celebrated our second anniversary. We don’t consider ourselves experts at marriage, but we are finding it to be true that the more we seek to love Christ, the more we love each other. One of our favorite activities has been biking. We love that it’s something we can do with little Tessa. She rides along in her seat on the back of Josh’s bike. Next month we will celebrate her first birthday! We are so grateful for the privilege of having her in our life.
Despite the uncertainty in our world, we can gratefully report that God is still providing for our needs. We know some of our financial supporters have experienced a decrease in their income, yet have continued to support us. We are humbled and encouraged by your sacrifice and dedication to us and our ministry. We want to continue to express our deepest appreciation for all who support us financially and through prayer. You encourage us and make it possible for us to serve here at the Ranch!
Prayer requests:
- The students would have open hearts for what God is teaching them this year
- That God would continue to provide for the ministry of MMR
- Josh and I would recognize opportunities to invest in the students
- Wisdom as we raise Tessa
If supporting us financially is something you would like to do, here are some things you might like to know:
- 100% of your support goes directly to us
- All gifts are tax-deductible
- Check or money orders should be made out directly to Miracle Mountain Ranch, designated for us on a separate piece of paper or in the memo line
- MMR does have the ability to do direct deposit withdraws from your checking or savings account for your monthly giving
- Support can also be given online at mmrm.org.
Thank you once again for partnering with us in this ministry!
In Christ,
Josh, Alyssa, and Tessa Bridges