Have you ever felt inspired? Inspiration is such a powerful word and even more so, a powerful feeling. In Greek, it means God-breathed/life. In Hebrew, it means spirit/wind, and in our common dictionary, it means to stir/motivate. First, inspiration is God-breathed. It is received as a desire directly from God. Secondly, when we are…
It seems a little surreal sometimes that five years has already passed since I joined the teaching staff at Cookson Hills. It seems even more surreal when I consider where I was mentally, emotionally, and physically in my life as I moved here versus where I’m at now. In 2013, I was a hot…
My name is Jaci and I would like to share my story about how God has changed me. I come from a very complicated family background. I was adopted and raised by my older sister, whom I call mom and it just gets more complex from there. I used to go to church when…
For many years, we tried to have children of our own. After four years of marriage, we had a miracle baby that we have thanked God for every day. Before his birth, we had struggled through four devastating miscarriages, wondering why we couldn’t have children. We prayed and prayed, asking God for answers. One morning…
What does it take to make a positive change in your family- A Vision? A defined Purpose? The Desire? While all these are certainly helpful and have their place, they alone do not make change happen. It takes more than pure desire to make the picture in your head come to life. It takes…
My wife and I knew very little about houseparenting before we came to Cookson Hills. We knew that we were interested in a ministry that we could do as a family. When we heard a missionary come to our church and talk about houseparenting, we began to look at places in the United States…
Over the past six years, we have said hello and goodbye to over forty different children while being foster parents or houseparents. We affectionately call our home ”The Nest.” The dictionary defines a nest as: “a retreat or refuge, a resting place, a home.” This is the picture-perfect idea of what we want our…
Before coming to Cookson Hills, I was not the best person and I knew I could be better. When my mom first told me about going, I felt like I was just being sent away again because she didn’t love me or that my family didn’t want me anymore. While on my tour, I…
Has your child had high hopes for something only to be let down, resulting in your child becoming significantly upset? It’s a staple in parenting, right? Maybe it was losing a game, a friend who canceled a sleepover, or getting a lower test grade than expected. Using an adult lens we might look at…
A lot of times, being the Bible teacher means you have to push past the eye rolls and arguments; you have to remember where the students are coming from and respect it. You get a lot of dozing, irritated students – the ‘shields up student’ if you will. It can be pretty defeating if…
I’m pretty sure I have the best job on the planet. As school secretary/librarian here at Cookson Hills I get to interact daily with all of our kids on campus. My prayer is always that the kids see the library as a warm and inviting safe place. Whether it’s to get a book, a…
My name is Only and I am a Senior at Manhattan Christian College. I have been visiting Cookson Hills each winter for three years to play basketball in the College Classic tournament. Coming to Cookson Hills is really special for me because of my story. I was born in Arizona and was in and out…
It started with a simple letter. In 1971, I wrote to Cookson Hills to see if they needed any photography teachers. They wrote back, “No, but we need houseparents. Come and visit!” So we came to check it out. And now, 47 years later, we’re still here. When Barb and I first moved to Cookson…
I came to Cookson Hills in 2009, when I was fifteen years old. I had a terrible home environment full of abuse, a broken relationship with my mom, and a long list of step-dads. I was very outspoken and knew what my interests and goals were but there was also a lot of hatred burning…
After I was approached to write about a day in the life of a social worker, I have to admit I had some rather irregular brain activity. I immediately had The Beatles song “A Day in the Life” stuck in my head. You know what I mean? It’s the part in the middle that everyone…
For 60 years, Cookson Hills has provided ministry to children by offering home, school, and therapy. Meanwhile, over the past 30 years, Cookson Hills has focused greatly on improving the quality of living conditions and programs offered at the main unit in Kansas, Oklahoma. This focus started with the accreditation of our high school in 1984.…
At the beginning of each school year, I ask my students one question: “What would it take to make this the most productive year you have ever had in an English class?” I then ask each class to create a creed or poem to identify themselves, try their best to answer the question, and state…
The 1970s brought rapid growth to Cookson Hills. The motto became “Serving Children with a Need,” and the intent was to fill needs that were observed in the lives of children who were hurting. This intent became clear by the growth of the main unit in Kansas, Oklahoma, and the addition of 12 satellite…
Prior to Cookson Hills, I didn’t know what it was like to be a part of a healthy family. My mom and dad weren’t able to take care of me. My dad was on drugs, in and out of jail, and my mom was always working. They lived in a messy house, and my…
Cookson Hills was founded on love of God and love for humanity, especially children who were hurting, abandoned, or abused. This is the story of that small beginning and how it has unfolded throughout the decades. Howard and Joyce Dillon traveled to northeast Oklahoma and saw a vast need for mission work. In the early…
What is it like being a houseparent? Imagine for a moment that you have been challenged to put together a million piece jigsaw puzzle. You have one to two years to complete it and help from all of the people you work with. Sounds easy enough, right? There’s one more catch…the picture side of…
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincid unt ut laoreet dolore. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore…
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincid unt ut laoreet dolore. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore…
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincid unt ut laoreet dolore. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore…
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincid unt ut laoreet dolore. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore…
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincid unt ut laoreet dolore. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore…
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincid unt ut laoreet dolore. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore…
There came a moment in our lives where we knew we needed a change. I had spent 22 years working at a savings and loan association. I had worked my way up to vice president and was very successful, but Bobbie and I both knew we needed something different. The company was going in a…
Hi, my name is Catreena. As an 8th grader, I shared my story in a blog called, Finding Hope. I have since finished up my freshman year as well as the chapter of my life spent at Cookson Hills. I’d like to share how God has continued to give me opportunities for growth throughout my…
As families send their children back to school, and homework begins to appear, one may question what exactly a teacher does throughout the day. The truth is, a lot, and it is no different here at Cookson Hills. To gain an inside understanding of just what goes on after the bell rings to start the…
“Mom, I’m freezing, it’s so cold outside” “Well, if you had worn your coat like I told you to, you wouldn’t be cold, would you?” Does this sound familiar? Many of us have had a conversation similar to this at one point or another. What do you think the child’s response will be? Do…
I thought I would be dead before I turned 18. I had attempted suicide, was dealing with past issues, and couldn’t see a future. That was before I arrived at Cookson Hills in 2000. I was 16 years old, depressed, and had a lot of family issues. Also, a PTSD type disorder had resurfaced…
With summer in full swing, and the 2016-2017 school year just behind us, we interviewed one of our graduating seniors concerning his accomplishments. Epi is known as a student who is reliable, hard-working, and willing to do what needs to be done. Like any other kid, he came to Cookson Hills with his own…
My goal throughout my life has been to try and be the best servant I can be. I believe that your ministry starts with availability and a heart that says “yes.” If you’re not available to take care of people’s needs or to see the needs of those around you, then how can you…
To our brothers and sisters in San Carlos, It’s hard to believe that only a month ago we journeyed through the deserts of Arizona to you. We didn’t know what to expect, all we knew was that there were some people running a ministry called 3:18 on a reservation. We thought we were being…
My husband and I have always loved children. His love for and skill with children were the first qualities that drew me to him. The passages in the Bible commanding us to care for orphans always seemed to leap from the page and into my heart. So we told God that we would be willing…
Before I came to Cookson Hills, I was very closed off. I was defiant and rebellious, and I had no respect for authority. I was confused and hurt; I didn’t know how my life had gone so wrong. When I first came here, things were worse for a while. I was a very angry…
After an invitation to attend the Cookson Hills College Classic for the first time, KCC (Kansas Christian College) women’s basketball team was eager to see what lie ahead of them. Selected Christian Colleges from around the nation come together for a week-long basketball tournament. The initial thoughts from my young players were ones of…
Cookson Hills takes an integrated approach that is much like a greenhouse, providing a safe place for tender seedlings to grow. If successful, the child develops a growth mindset and a toolkit to enable him or her to leave behind a story of a wounded heart and begin creating a better story. Teachers and…
“How many times do I have to tell you?” “Haven’t I already explained this to you a hundred times?” “When are you ever going to listen to me?” Sound familiar? Maybe it’s the battle over a clean bedroom or completing homework or staying out too late on a school night. The use of these…
I optimistically volunteered to sponsor the school bulletin board for term four; you know, the one that’s in the middle of everything that everyone can see, no pressure. I envisioned a detailed timeline of the Civil War complete with pictures and dates and original artwork. Unfortunately, the project never materialized the way I envisioned it.…
I breathe. That’s how it feels every time I travel to Cookson Hills. I don’t know if it is the thousand acres of rolling hills or the Oklahoma air, but every time I go to Cookson Hills, I feel peace, and I breathe. The first time I traveled to Cookson Hills was in May…
Before I came to Cookson Hills, I didn’t care about anything or anybody. I had been through some rough things during my childhood; always moving back and forth between my mom and dad and in and out of foster care. My family and I didn’t really get along, I skipped school for almost a…
Nicky was so mad. It was the third time I called him back to fix the corrections on his math test. Each time he handed me the test, he scurried over to play with the other kids who’d finished. The distraction was obviously more than he could handle. “Hey, why don’t you come over…
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