When one of Gayla Miller’s sons had a basketball tournament out of town, she saw it as an opportunity to spend a few hours alone in a hotel while he scrimmaged with the team. As a busy mom of three young children, a quiet room by herself was equivalent to a week in a spa. While the team practiced, Gayla spent time being still. From her vantage point, she could see a beautiful neighborhood below – older and charming with established landscapes and unique architecture. They were homes of character, difficult to find in new builds with young trees and predictable blueprints.
And in the stillness, there was a stirring in her heart: So much character on the outside, but what about the inside? Build homes of character. Build homes of refuge.
Gayla didn’t know what that meant, but she got started. She met with friends, prayed for wisdom, and began with her own home.
What does it mean to have a home of character? What will it take to have a home of refuge? Over the years, Gayla has met with women, prayed, listened, and read Scripture to answer these questions. And in God’s goodness, He continues to add to the collective wisdom accumulated throughout Gayla’s life.
Creating Refuge started as a whisper in one woman’s heart. It grew outward, first to a group of friends, then acquaintances, and further still to the community church. Creating Refuge is now a nonprofit seeking to establish peace in the lives of women everywhere. Through a relationship with God and community with others, women can create spaces of calm to find rest for chaotic hearts and minds. Proceeds from Creating Refuge will be used to pour into local communities and support women who are in need of physical refuge and stability.
