'It's not a religion; it is a relationship'

Name: Carlada Thomas.

Age: 33.

Family: Four children: Philleshay, Jasmine, Lamarianna, Lamarion; fiancé Krinstine Morris of Chicago; and father Daryl of Yuba City.

City of residence: Yuba City.

Occupation: I'm a motivational speaker for women. I just started my own company, WOG Lifestyle company; it stands for Women of God. It's about encouraging women to venture out and start their own business and to get off welfare and just get out and make something of themselves.

Hobbies, interests: I'm very involved in church, so that keeps me busy. We just had a big 33-year convention anniversary. I do a lot for the church. I'm on a board of leaders for the church.

What brought you to the Yuba-Sutter area? I was originally from Chicago. My dad got married to someone here that was from Yuba City. I went back to Chicago to have my kids. After realizing what I really wanted, I moved here. I've been here for eight years.

Place of worship you attend: Calvary Christian Center of Marysville.

How long have you attended? For 3-1⁄2 years.

What is the importance of faith in your life? It's not a religion; it is a relationship. It's easy to believe in something you can see but harder to believe what you can't see. If I didn't have faith, I would be dead. Before my faith, my father and I had health issues. And for years, I wanted to give up on life. With all the diagnoses that I had, literally, now I am more healthy. My blood pressure went down; my diabetes went away.

How do you live out your faith? It's a routine; thanking Him. Just thanking Him for letting me see another morning and touching someone's life. Simply a smile at the cash register and saying, "God bless you." To make a person smile; I know I'm doing God's work. Even when things are overwhelming, I recognize God's work.

Somebody has always been there for me. I realized that was God. That seed that was placed in me a long time ago, even when I was a kid and I didn't recognize it. I wanted to give up on life, but I realized He had some things that He needed me to do.

I live out my faith through what my pastor calls "soul witnessing." We step out and encourage people to learn the Bible by themselves and going by the statutes of the Bible. Going by what you believe. We are reaching for the lost ones that are off and gone or that don't believe. My job is to touch people; to let them know that God is hearing their prayers. When you pray, you plant a seed and expect for God to water the seed. But you have to wait on your harvest.

Faith in Action appears Fridays. It features a member of a church, temple or mosque and the importance of their faith. To suggest someone to be featured, contact the newsroom at 749-6552.