Hey There

I (Noah Cottle) am a 17-year-old kid with a heart for the Lord and a passion for today's youth. Growing up I've been through and seen a lot of things, some more than others. Around 2 years old my biological mother passed away from brain injuries'. And around 5 years old me and my brother were adopted together into a loving home.

 

Around 8 years old my family and I went to Hawaii for YWAM (Youth With A Mission). Before we left my father asked me "What's one thing you wanna see in Hawaii?" I had responded with "I wanna see the dead raised!" I didn't notice at that time but later on, I realized that I asked that cause I wanted to know if God could bring back my mom. A few months after we got there I got to see a woman raised from the dead in a hospital. Which grew my faith and kicked started a journey with the lord but also left me with tons of questions.

 

Fast forward about 5 years and I'm in the state of Texas after spending 4 years in Oregon. When we moved to Texas I had lost myself in a few ways. I started to fall off from the Lord and started to become someone I wasn't. I started to feel depressed and mad all the time. I just kept to myself with my feelings and let it all boil up. At one point in 7th grade, there was a collection of events that made me go over the edge emotionally. I had written a note saying that I was finished and that I was done.

 

I continued to struggle for the next three years I just learned to not open my mouth about my struggles. (Do not recommend very unhealthy). I left school at the end of my sophomore year because I didn't like the environment and I was falling mentally. 4 months after I left school I had been overwhelmed mentally and choose to keep quiet anyways. I was overcome by all the emotions I had held in over the last 4 years, and some things from my past. They all came boiling out and I ended up trying to take my own life.

 

A few months after that had happened I went to a summer camp with my church. I didn't know what to expect since I had just gotten back from another church camp in Lubbock. Around the 2nd or 3rd day, the pastor prophesied over me. He had said the same thing that people had said since I was little. Telling me I was supposed to lead people and live above the standard. For me, that was the confirmation I needed to get my life together and start pursuing my calling.

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So I started The Platform, a place where teens can learn and grow. I went through mental struggles, identity issues, family struggles, and I felt like I was doing it alone even though I had people. I struggle as most teens do and it wasn't until something big happened that ii got the help I needed. I created The Platform so that teens could feel free to talk to someone and feel like they are safe. I wanted to create something that gave teens a place to get help to grow and learn and find their voice. I wanted to create a place where teens could experience the Lord as I have over the years.