We were lucky to catch up with Nora Tatina recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nora , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

It still feels like yesterday. With tears dripping down my cheeks, I held another rejection letter. I had cried so hard that day, the kind of ugly cry that leaves you looking like a morning zombie with mascara running down your nose and face. At that time, my big dream was to be a writer. I wanted to write books, travel the world, and speak in big venues. I was the girl with big-city dreams. After submitting more proposals than I could count and receiving more rejections than I wanted to read, the dream of writing slowly became as distant as the night sky. Although my dream of becoming a writer was dying, I held on to it with a tight, clenched fist until….a conversation that changed everything. 

In my first year of graduate school, I wrestled with changing my career path because my big dream of becoming a writer wasn’t working out. However, I needed to figure out what I wanted to do. At that moment, I knew I had a BA in Communications, a love for writing, and a unique way of relating to people. The funny thing is people often assumed that I was majoring in education, which wasn’t a wrong guess since I loved working with children. My mentor then was the chairman of the education department at my university. She was the queen of education to me, and if there was anyone I could talk to about my secret, hidden desire to teach, it was her. As we were sitting together chatting, I was grumbling that my dream of writing was over. 

“Mrs. K, something doesn’t feel right! I am at a Bible college, learning to help people grow spiritually. Writing would be my way to do that. But then, this voice always whispers, “What about teaching?” I don’t know why I would go backward?” 

“Nora, why not teach? You don’t have to go into elementary education, but there are other avenues of teaching. Have you ever thought of TESOL?”

I looked at her, baffled. “What’s TESOL?”

“It’s teaching English to speakers of other languages. Think about the people you’re mentoring right now.”

It only took a second, but the faces that popped into my head were from China, Korea, and Ukraine—friends I had the honor of sharing my life with.

“You have a point, Mrs. K., except I’m clueless about teaching English. Sometimes, I can barely speak English myself,” I responded.

Then she said something that changed everything for me: “Nora, I’ve taught teachers how to teach all my life. Teaching isn’t just about knowing “the how,” but it’s also about having the heart to teach. You have the heart of a teacher. Getting the training, well, that’s the easy part.” 

That was one of the times when the world stood still. For the first time, I had to choose between following the path I thought was mine or taking a risk and choosing the path meant for me.

Risk often feels uncomfortable, daunting, and sometimes even dangerous. It requires faith over feeling, adventure over playing it safe, and a lot of optimism. If we were honest with ourselves, we wouldn’t dare take a risk unless we were sure of a guaranteed likable outcome. But the beauty of taking a risk is the adventure itself. When you can step outside yourself or your comfort zone and explore opportunities or other possibilities, you see the world differently and find unexpected joy.

This is what happened when I became an ESL instructor. I discovered a passion I never knew I had. By taking a risk, I discovered a whole new world filled with making friends around the globe, expanding my knowledge of the world itself, including my palette, and learning from my students, whose lives have greatly impacted me.

Today, when I walk into my classroom, I’m reminded that risk is worth taking.

Nora , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m an ESL instructor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I teach English to undergrad and graduate International students from all over the world, which is truly a passion of mine. However, another passion of mine is writing. I have wanted to be a writer since I was a little girl. I didn’t think I could until I realized that writing is just about sharing my life through my experiences. Why not do both – become a writer and a teacher? With that in mind, I started a blog where I share stories about my life, my faith, and my favorite thing in the whole world – God’s Word. There are days when you’ll see me typing away on my computer or jotting notes down as fast as possible on paper before they slip away. No matter what I’m doing, teaching or writing, I love using words to inspire people and make a difference in my little corner of the world.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My desire to make a difference in people’s lives drives my creative journey. Whether in the classroom or writing on my blog, I’m constantly looking for ways to help people grow in their language skills or walk with Christ. You can see that people are what drive me. Sometimes, it pushes me a little outside of my comfort zone and forces me to think outside the box or even take a risk. But people are worth it, so I continue to teach and write because the world needs more risk-takers and encouragers.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

My greatest reward as a creative is when a student tells me that being in my class improved their English language skills, thereby changing their lives. Or when I receive a post on my blog from a reader who just read one of my blog entries, they somehow feel hopeful and encouraged after reading the words I wrote. These are just two examples of why I love to do what I do. Seeing someone walk away from my classroom or read my blog or devotional and feel hopeful is my greatest reward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://abidealways.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tatinanora/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nora.passion4Him
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nora-tatina-19b1a3323/