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…
Middle school kids are funny. When you ask them to write about what they are thankful for, you may be surprised by the response. Some kids talk about fun stuff, things that bring joy their lives, like video games and their favorite books and games; others go super spiritual and write a three part…
A few years ago, several women who had served and lived at Cookson Hills together, decided we needed an annual “reunion.” Each passing year, a few more joined us and we always have the best time of fellowship. For many of us, this is the only time we see each other, but you’d never…
My name is Vanessa. I am 17 years old and a senior at Cookson Hills. Some of you may ask, “Why are you at Cookson Hills?” That definitely is not a short story to tell…. It started when I was four years old and my mom died from a heroin overdose. I haven’t seen…
I always knew my parents had problems. It was obvious; there wasn’t a conversation that didn’t end in an argument. Some days, my dad would give up and leave. Others, my mom would take us somewhere else for a while. Moving was almost a tradition in our house; we didn’t stay in the same…
So – this is my story. I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and up until I was 3, I lived with my mom and maybe my stepdad- I don’t really remember. It was scary where I lived. Sometimes I would use the phone to call my Papa and Mema (great grandpa and grandma); they…
I was adopted at 15 months by my aunt and uncle, whom I call Mom and Dad. Their names will never change for me, I love them. It wasn’t until I was 11 that I shared with a few friends that I had been adopted. But, I was betrayed by those friends and I started…
It’s not fair. It’s really not fair at all. I have been teaching middle school now for 12 weeks, and almost every day I think to myself that it’s not fair how good my life is. This life started last year. I was hired to teach first year composition at the University of Central…
In real life, social workers are largely unknown to children and families…until they are in crisis. The turmoil of their crisis makes it difficult to trust anyone, let alone someone they don’t know. Unfortunately, many families are in crisis. Quite often these families receive help from a social worker who is overloaded, overworked, and…
What is adversity? Adversity is the condition of being in unfavorable or distressful circumstances. I’ve been through many unfavorable circumstances in my life: divorced parents, abandonment, physical and sexual abuse, neglect, jealousy, hatred, and I’ve been trapped in my own bitterness towards God. But I’ve learned so much. We often look at the bad…
In Exodus 17, Moses told Joshua to pick men to go out and fight Amalek. While the men fought, Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. When Moses held his hands up, Israel prevailed and when his hands were lowered the enemy prevailed. As could be expected, Moses grew weary…
Sometimes, as a parent, I question my decisions. Is it fair to my children to uproot them from the life they know? Will it harm them to ask them to do without some of the conveniences and opportunities they had in our previous life and to share us (their parents) with other needy children…
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” That well-known statement has served true throughout many aspects of my life, but a fair share of my struggles were almost too much to bear. When my great grandmother died, I felt as if I was to blame. I smoked two packs that day, and felt miserable…
“Before you give up your old ways, be sure to replace them with something of value.” — Robert Ruark I am sure there are scriptures to back it up, but this quote has been so profound throughout all my life decisions. I was a mom, wife, and businesswoman who was frantically climbing the corporate ladder.…
Last month, five friends and I traveled from Louisville, Kentucky to Kansas, Oklahoma to visit Cookson Hills. Going into the week I had no idea what to expect, but felt like I was pretty well prepared for a mission trip. I’ve been going to church, attending weekly bible studies, reading Christian books, letting people…
In 2009, our lives were changed by an affair. It was ugly, raw, and it rocked our world. All three of my children suffered, but my son, Jordan, took it the hardest. He was angry and bitter at his father for betraying our family. I asked Jordan not to hate him as we all make…
Deciding to become houseparents wasn’t an easy decision. At first, we honestly pushed away the calling. Our lives in Indiana were comfortable. We had a lovely home, a great church, wonderful jobs, a good school district, and plenty of family close by. We also knew that becoming a houseparent would mean putting our own…
Parents, we’ve all been there. It has been a long day. Things haven’t gone as expected and there is more work to do in the evening. You are tired, frustrated, and are still thinking about your workday. You’ve asked your child to clean their room before heading out to play. They say they…
Each day students walk into schools all across the nation with pencils, paper, a backpack, and their unique life experiences. At Cookson Hills, many of these unique life experiences have been impacted by past abuse and neglect which has left a traumatized hole in their hearts. Today’s research has shown that trauma can negatively impact a…
Cookson Hills was my home for almost 4 years. I still remember that first day I arrived. I had just turned 13 and I was a handful. I was constantly disrespectful to authority figures, including my housedad, and I thought I could just make it on my own. I didn’t really want anyone else…
I will never forget the first time I laid eyes on the little community of Cookson Hills. It was December 27, 1978. My husband, Roger, and I pulled onto campus, driving a 1971 Opel Kadett and pulling the smallest U-Haul trailer they rent. We had been married two weeks before, and after a brief…
At our recent Open House event, we had a few staff members who openly shared their heart about how Cookson Hills comes TOGETHER to serve kids and families. Here’s a snapshot of the conversation: Ryan (Houseparent): We believe that God uses the family to accomplish His will here on earth. Because of this, when a…
What if we viewed parenting as an opportunity to grow our family together? Our home could become a safe place to experience the ups and downs of life rather than a place where kids feel the pressure to be perfect. Sure, there will always be rules, but the emphasis within the rules should be around…
Growing up, I moved around a lot. There were many different people in and out of my life, and no one was ever constant. Early in life, I learned to stuff my feelings and not to talk about the things that mattered most. I had no idea what a healthy relationship even looked like.…
Hi, my name is Catreena. I would like to share a little of my story and talk about the hope that I have found. My life hasn’t been easy, but I’m grateful that God has brought me through. I was born and raised in the state of Kansas. Growing up, I knew a lot…
“Our class of seniors excelled at ministering to people. They worked hard, yes, but more importantly, they understood the heart behind it.” – Rod Johnson, Senior Trip Sponsor Each year at Cookson Hills, our high school seniors have the opportunity to go on a Senior Mission Trip. This is more than just a fun…
Government is one of those topics that many students write off as boring or unimportant because they aren’t old enough to vote. But when they see it up close and personal, their view of democracy and politics can change, empowering them with the belief that someday they might be able to change the future.…
Imagine walking into your bank to make a withdrawal and finding out that your account is empty! There is no money in the bank. Worse yet, you have gone in the negative and actually owe them money. If you continue trying to make withdrawals, you will likely lose faith with the bank and ultimately lose…
Do you wish for a closer, more trusting relationship with your children? Do you find yourself frustrated that your kids rarely seem interested in talking with you? Maybe the answer lies in what sort of messages you are sending. Consider these examples: Son: “Hey Dad, guess what? I was the third fastest in the…
Parenting is hard, but it is worth it. I remember the birth of my first child and how much it changed life as I knew it. Alone time with my wife became less frequent. Time with my friends was sporadic. But I felt an overwhelming love towards our new little one. Then a second…
Cookson Hills has been a vitally important part of my life. I decided to represent my time here with a drawing. The ladder in the picture signifies my life. The bottom rung is my past, the middle rung is my time at Cookson Hills, and the top rung is my future. The background colors…
In Scripture, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel and the sun stood still. Last night we prayed for snow. Just twenty-six hours prior, we noticed that one of our daughters had left home unannounced with a boy. She left through the window with a backpack and…
I learned early in life to hold family in low regard. Not because I did not need it, but because I could not have it. When my family fell apart during childhood, it shaped me. Honestly, it is still shaping me 25 years later. I remember the sobering day when my eyes were…
Growing up I had a good life. I was raised in the church and I had parents who loved me. But things didn’t stay good for long. When I was 7 or 8, our family was torn apart as my mom packed up her stuff and left. I remember chasing her van down the road,…
Austin’s life was headed in the wrong direction. Each morning, he went to school for a few hours and then left with a group of friends. They spent their spare time using drugs and having a few run-ins with the law. After a year in high school, he still had zero credits to show…
Before I came to Cookson Hills, I visited and took a tour. I thought it was amazing! I was excited about the horses and how small the school was. I have always been fascinated with horses – ever since I was a little girl. And I was drawn to the smaller school because I…
Sometimes, when you are involved in Kingdom work, it’s easy to get discouraged. The world is fallen and messed up and can leave us feeling disheartened. There are times at Cookson Hills when it’s hard to remain encouraged and hopeful because of the choices the kids make while they’re here or after they leave.…
Horses are absolutely hilarious. I love them. There is nothing more thrilling than getting on a horse and riding it until you feel like you and the horse are one. It’s an amazing thing than can only be fully known and understood with experience. There are so many things I have learned about myself…
Have you ever had a conviction that is hard to put into words? That is how I am feeling as I write this. I need you to see a part of my heart which is always a difficult thing. We have just finished the season of gift giving in remembrance of the gift of God’s…
College Classic is a Christian College Basketball tournament hosted by Cookson Hills every January. The teams play back-to-back for 3 days straight and they stay in the homes of staff members and houseparents, eating their meals in the dining hall. They connect with all the kids and earn loyal fans from each of their…
Vanessa was ready for a new start. At the age of 15, she had already experienced countless wounds through sexual and emotional abuse. She had learned to stuff her emotions instead of talking. She was hurting. She needed a way out. That’s when she heard about Cookson Hills. She was interested right away because…
One of my struggles as a teacher has been trying to find ways to make my students interested in what we’re learning about in class. Believe me when I tell you that I’ve tried many techniques over the years: real world scenarios, odd facts relating to the lesson, demonstrations, lab experiments, student projects…you get…
During a break week, 21 elementary students visited the Amazeum. Hear about their experience here! Cookson Hills provides students with various opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. During a one of our break weeks, we boarded 21 elementary students on a bus to check out the Amazeum in Bentonville. It was advertised to…
Imagine this: you are in a brand new place with no friends and no idea what will come next. For Marissa, this was her reality when she arrived at Cookson Hills. At first, she was nervous. She knew from her past that making friends can be difficult and she wasn’t sure who she could…
You never know how long you’ll have them. With four months of stability and a full house, our focus as houseparents was on building family relationships, making memorable experiences together, and helping kids meet their plan of care goals. I took pride in our infrequent turnover of children; we had not had a kid leave…
She came to my classroom like the others. She had her own story, a story with too much pain and sadness for someone so young. Her nine years of life had injured her tender heart. She arrived at Cookson Hills with a wounded heart. Unlike many of my little ones, her pain was much…
Before Cookson Hills, I was a lost and rebellious child. I caused my family lots of emotional pain because of my daily choices. I was hurt as a child, but I didn’t know how to deal with it. I was asking for help in all the wrong ways and turned to the wrong crowds for…
There’s a lot more to vacation that just fun and games. What comes to mind when you think of a family vacation? Long road trips? Fun adventures? Sibling arguments? Crazy car games? Well these are all bound to be included in a Cookson Family Vacation. Every year, houseparents are given the opportunity to take…
Yesterday I got home from traveling to Ozark Christian College with some of our High School students for a Worship Event. I love and dread going on these trips. I dread them because of too little sleep (on the floor!) and not being able to control my food choices. However, I love them because…
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