ABOUT FRAGRANCE
Fragrance was founded by Kiana Maxson in June 2025, when she took a step of faith and hosted her first Rest to Rise day retreat. After working 13 years in vocational ministry as a worship pastor and associate pastor, she felt the Lord calling her to step out of her role at her church in a very “Go to the land I will show you.” moment (Genesis 12:1).
Other than pursuing her music career, she had no idea what the Lord had ahead for her. All she knew, was that she loved leading worship, preaching, and seeing people encounter God.
Backing up to 2023: someone prophesied over her that her life would be a fragrance to the Lord. (2 Corinthians 15). A few months later, she was in in deep prayer with a friend over her life and calling. While her friend was praying over her, she said she smelled a fragrance—citrus and floral—and sensed the Holy Spirit saying again that Kiana’s life would be a fragrance to the Lord.
A few months after that, another person praying over Kiana smelled a fragrance and shared the same word… and then it happened again… and again… all different people who had no idea that others had smelled the fragrance too.
Back to 2025: Kiana had felt the Lord’s invitation to step out of her role at her church and was sharing with a friend that she wished she could have a women’s ministry of her own—like the one she had helped establish at her church—that same friend who had originally smelled the fragrance said, “Then why don’t you just start your own and call it Fragrance?”
Those words must have had the oil of the Holy Spirit on them, because she instantly knew it was what she was supposed to do.
Her first “yes” to God in this journey was hosting her first retreat -Rest to Rise… which turned into hosting another Rest to Rise… which led to the Lord speaking more clearly to her about taking the step to establishing Fragrance as an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Now, Fragrance hosts monthly events and worship nights, a weekly Bible study, inner-healing and deliverance prayer, and in 2026 will host its first four-day retreat in Idaho. This is just the beginning! We believe the Lord has immeasurably more in store than we can ask, think, or imagine.
the story behind fragrance
Our Vision
Our Vision
Knowing the love
of the Father.
We exist because God loves us. He had an overflow of love to give, so he created us. There is nothing we can do to earn it, and there is nothing we can do to make him love us less. We were created to live rooted and established in His love (Ephesians 3:17) Not just to know it in our heads, but to know in our hearts just how deeply we are loved by our Father in heaven.
Being filled with
the Holy Spirit.
What was available at Pentecost is available today and every day, for all people who call Jesus Lord. Romans 5 says that “the Holy Spirit is how God pours out his love into our hearts.” In every Fragrance event, retreat, one on one meeting, bible study or worship night, we always leave room for the Holy Spirit to move and fill our hearts.
Stepping into deeper intimacy with Jesus.
Jesus is King of the universe, and also calls us his friend. He wants a deep, intimate relationship with each of us, and scripture says we are his fragrance (2 Corinthians 2:15). The more we know him, the more we become like him and can spread his fragrance out into the world and into our relationships. We seek Jesus above all else.
Loving one another.
Jesus says that this is how the world will know we are his disciples (John 13:35). We seek to create safe and welcoming environments where women can come as they are and feel loved by God and loved by us. Our heart is to see every women welcomed, seen, and known.
Meet the board
KIANA MAXSON
Kiana Maxson has been working in ministry for thirteen years. It was leading worship at ROCKHARBOR that first lit a fire in her for vocational ministry. She then became the worship pastor at Redemption Church, then transitioned to the worship pastor and associate pastor at Canopy Church where she oversaw the worship and prayer teams, launched Canopy’s women’s ministry, “Beloved” and preached regularly. In March of 2025 the Lord called her out into the unknown. Little did she know, she’d be starting her own ministry just a few short months later. She has been married to her amazing husband Ben for 8 years and is also pursuing music and released her first solo album in the fall of 2025.
Founder + CEO
KALINA Wilson
CFO
Kalina Wilson has been involved in ministry for the past decade. What started with volunteering at her boyfriend’s youth group (They shortly after got married and currently have a two-year-old!) has turned into a career path. She is now the Children’s Director at Sea Change Church where she is creating a space and curriculum where infants-5th graders can learn their Bible stories and encounter Jesus. Kalina has her Bachelors in Business Administration, and has a weird passion for budgets, administrative tasks, and following the rules makes her heart happy. She is honored to serve on the board and help propel the mission and ministry of Fragrance using her ministry and business experience.
SARA TOBER
Sara Tober has spent the last decade working at the intersection of media and ministry. She began her career with the Uganda-based nonprofit, WEND AFRICA, later spending five years at a digital marketing agency before joining her church staff as the Communications Director. In this current season, Sara is a stay-at-home mom to her two daughters (ages one and three), while also freelancing creatively, serving on her church’s media team, and volunteering weekly as a lay counselor at a local pregnancy resource center. With a passion for helping others bring their God-dreams to life, Sara is honored to serve on the board of Fragrance and to capture and tell the stories of how God moves in and through this ministry to reach His girls.
CMO