Julie Morgenstern

What gets you excited about coaching?

I love listening to people share from their own context and perspective. My part is to reflect back to them in a safe, personal, and encouraging way. When I do this well, these dynamic conversations lead them to make wise decisions AND purposefully live them out.

What's your #1 tip for gaining new funding partners?

Be relational. People want to be on mission with authentic and servant-hearted people.

Tell us about a time where you helped someone overcome a significant barrier to successful fundraising.

I was working with a young man preparing to work in Thailand. He was so passionate about the importance of the ministry he was to be doing that he felt a deep conviction to tell the story of himself and the story of the ministry perfectly. It led to a paralysis in his fundraising. His procrastination in taking even small steps forward was affecting his relationship with his wife as well.

In the midst of our coaching sessions, he was able to identify that his struggle had little to do with typical procrastination behaviors and more to do with a deep-seeded feeling of unworthiness for the task at hand. He chose to take a spiritual retreat and bookend the time with conversations with a spiritual mentor. Through that time, he surrendered some of the lies believed about himself and began to compose his story of his calling to this unique ministry.

Where can we find you on the weekends?

My husband and I enjoy a full house. Besides our 4 sons and 2 daughter-in-laws when they are in town, we host their friends and other young adults for barbeques, boardgames, long discussions and pickleball. When it is quiet, I enjoy a good book and watching sports.

Where have you served as a missionary?

My husband and I started our overseas tenure in Moscow, Russia back in 1992, training public school teachers in a curriculum based on Jesus' life. This led us to 12 years of church planting in Ukraine, living in 3 different cities. We then relocated back to the States to lead the training department of our mission for 9 years. I, personally, led the pre-field training team. Over the last 9 years, besides coaching, I continue to work alongside my husband with Grow2Serve that equips mission organizations to take their training online. If you do the math, I have been raising support for over 30 years.