DK UPDATE FROM THE EAST COAST: FRI JULY 24, 2026

GREETINGS FRIENDS. Dr. K here just checking in from a major Eastern City where my son, Dr. Chris Canete Rodriguez Kelly, has been hired as a faculty member at a small Ivy College nearby. I attach a not very good photo of him and the old man in front of a lovely walkway on campus we just visited earlier today. NOTE: On reflection, I believe that we look like a couple of escapees from a federal prison.

SCRIPTURE. “You therefore, my son, BE STRONG [in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.” – 2 TIMOTHY 2:1-4, NKJV

KEY TERM: “BE STRONG!” ‘Endunamoó’ [ἐνδυναμοῦ]: “To [Divinely] empower; to [miraculously] enable, strengthen, or endow with great vigor.’ NOTE: Strong’s Greek 1743 portrays ‘God-given Empowerment that enables believers to fulfill Divine Purposes.’ In every occurrence the strengthening comes from the Lord, never from human resolve alone, and it results in effective Witness, Endurance, or Obedience.” – James Strong, Concordance, 1895; edited

CHALLENGES. This journey that will at its completion around July 28, 2026, will total about 4,000 miles, a comparatively brief tour in my overall roughly 50,000 miles around the United States since the first one in June 2021. In Brief: The road has been wonderful as I get my boots on the ground once again to taste and see what America is about, up close and personal.

However: The trip has been accompanied by a daily dose of challenges, non-life-threatening, but a few quite distracting, designed to steal my joy and one with a minor health issue that a couple of times tried to persuade me to abort the mission.

When at several times I inquired quite plaintively about why this was happening, given the massive prayer preparation and covering I always enjoy on these Circuit Rides, on the third day on the road I heard The Answer, clear as a bell:

“I am training you to handle the Adversity to Come.”

HONING YOUR WEAPON: PRAYER. It is important to note that throughout this Trial – for it is now clear that this is what it is – God remained in complete control of every bit of it, not permitting more than I could adequately handle, “Until I got it right” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

More than anything, the Lord was training me HOW TO PRAY in adverse conditions. Essentially defined by praying aggressively and loudly against the problem, as Jesus did during the Three Temptations in the Wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11).

• JESUS. “Now when the Tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God!’” – MATTHEW 4:3-4

• EXAMPLE. “Satan! In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to stand down and away, now! The Word of God is clear: ‘I have been given His authority to trample upon all your power, and no weapon formed against me shall prosper!’” – Luke 10:19

IMPACT. Though at times I would have to repeat that prayer more than once, without fail, sometimes gradually, the problem would diminish, to finally disappear nearly completely. NAV FAILURE: I was out in the boonies late at night after a long drive and my Google Maps system failed. After several tries, effectively blind, I prayer Imprecatory: It was instantly restored!

All that to say this: Our Primary Weapon of Choice is Authoritative Prayer, the very Template of which was established by Jesus in the Wilderness. Now when I pray to God Himself, I approach the Throne of Differently and Reverently.  ‘But to Satan, I give no quarter!’

IMPRESSIONS. Though the road be dangerous at times, there are still precious souls out there I am always blessed to briefly meet and exchange a few words of life. Here are just a few memorables, as I close.

• SURGEY. I had to install some LED headlight upgrades for greater visibility at night, but no one would install them since they were off-market (non-OEM) products. Finally came upon a Ukranian garage owner late in the day who first denied me, but upon a second visit (and a promise of $100 to do the fix!), he consented. We talked about Russian and Ukraine and grimace when I mentioned Zelensky explained his conviction that both America and Ukraine we run by Oligarchs (a big issue in Russia as well).

• ZACK. As I waited for my car to be fitted with the new bulbs, a 30-something large, bearded man (looked like a Viking) and I chatted. Next thing I know, we are talking about the Church as I explained a bit about what I do, and he expressed disgust with no one speaking out against Trump, finding “us” complete hypocrites. He warmed to me instantly as I told of my approach to the Church, took my card and promised to watch my videos.

• KALEY. A check-in attendant at a lovely motel was engaged on the phone as I waited, being every so gracious with a difficult call that required a complete change of dates and costs for an upcoming conference party. Took a while and when she was done I said: “I commend you on your extraordinary patience with that caller. I would not last but a minute in your job!” We chuckled as I noticed a lovely cross on her necklace, and as I always do, I asked: “Do you mean it?” She nearly jumped over the desk and blurted out: “As if my very life depended on it!” We bonded, she took my card I took hers, and I was happily checked into my room.

• CAITLIN. In that same hotel, I noticed a housecleaning lady with a pleasant smile, engaged in a brief conversation to learn that she was a single mom (which I correctly guessed), that she was raising three boys on her own who were “a handful.” I noticed the stress and sadness, and asked her if I could pray for her. She hesitated and then said yes, and was clearly moved by the gesture. NOTE: In my 45 years of following Christ, I cannot recall a single stranger offered the same gift of prayer who ever said “No.” Though most are not familiar with simple prayers, they are many times rather deeply affected by it.

• QUENTIN. Without question the most meaningful encounter was a rather disheveled young man who approached me to ask if I had jumper cables to help start his car. I was filling my tank at the moment as I said, “Yes I do, give me just a minute.” I then drove to his broken down old Jeep with balding tires, and we got it done. I noticed he kept looking down rather than directly at me. He thanked me and I asked if he could use a new battery that I could help him purchase. He said no, that he would rather spend it on “a decent meal.” NOTE: God instructed me to carry two $100 bills on the trip before I left, the first one going to Surgey). Without hesitation I gave me the second $100, and he could hardly speak his thank you, still looking down and driving off. (I teared up just now typing the account). Selah.

CODA. So I close with just THREE AFTERTHOUGHTS. (1)Do all you can to shore up grievances with family members who are in need of ministry and encouragement, if they are willing. (2) Practice on Praying with Authority when you encounter difficult circumstances; it truly can make all the differernce. (3). With careful discernment, always look for opportunities to ‘Be Jesus’ to those in need of Him.

Love you all, thank you for the all-important Prayer Covering. I’ll see you when I get back, Lord willing, sometime before Wednesday-Thursday July 28-29, but won’t post a formal Commentary till the following SATURDAY, AUGUST 1. DK

MEDIA

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/IdbVeju367k