The Sunday Mail
There is a saying that goes, “Behind every successful man is a woman.”
I believe that the woman with the potential to be a catalyst in the success of others should have extraordinary qualities.
Apostle Florence Kanyati’s book “The Uncommon Woman” talks about the power within a woman and what is expected of her to impact the world in a positive way.
Preacher, speaker and motivator, Apostle Kanyati has dedicated her life to helping people spiritually, socially, physically and emotionally.
In a world in which many women are dependent on the opposite sex, this book seeks to erase that mentality and infuse a new positive way of thinking.
The author makes use of extraordinary women from the Bible and Mother Theresa as compass points.
The first chapter centres on the biblical figure of Abigail, as described in 1 Samuel 25:3.
“His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Celebite, was surly and mean in his dealings.”
Abigail is relevant to a generation that believes less and less in beauty with brains.
She is alert, strategic and able to think outside the box, making life decisions under pressure as well as managing an extremely volatile situation single-handedly.
Apostle Kanyati elaborates on time management being an important characteristic of an uncommon woman.
She states that an uncommon woman should know when it is time to tidy up her house, prepare meals for her family, spend quality moments with them and should also allocate herself time for prayer.
In another chapter, women are encouraged to have the eyes to see, understand and appreciate the things of the kingdom — like the Shunammite woman who saw Elisha, a servant of God walking about the city and immediately saw him for what he was worth.
2 Kings 4:8 says, “One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal.
So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, ‘I know this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God’.”
The Shunammite woman is uncommon in every sense as she willingly takes up the burden of accommodating and taking care of the man of God.
She ignores her own problems and takes care of Elisha’s needs; as the Bible says in Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Evil forces usually rise against individuals who are blessed by God, as in the case of Jochebed who stood up against forces of destruction that were out to have her son Moses killed.
“No one has the right to steal, kill and destroy what God has given you. Upon conceiving, Jochebed was faced with a strong opposition against her pregnancy.
But she still remained resolute that she was not going to give into the devil’s machinations,” goes the narration.
The author reminds the reader of the power of the Creator, which is unmatched any other force present in the world, “The Lord will go before you to level mountains, to shut the lion’s mouth, to quench the fiery furnace and to subdue kingdoms.”
This book is a treasure trove from which today’s woman can gather knowledge and understanding of the kingdom mindset.
Written in simple English, understanding the thrust is no daunting task.
“The Uncommon Woman” has the potential to empower women.
