By: Jonathyn Lopez
In every person’s journey, there comes a moment where destiny and decision intersect, where faith collides with lived experience, and where resilience transforms into purpose. For Frank Salcedo, the author of Why Me? Why Not You!, that moment came in the most unexpected places: on battlefields, in prison corridors, and eventually in the sanctuary of a church he now leads in Port Orchard, Washington. His story is not one of instant success but of a long road shaped by hardship, divine timing, and a persistent desire to serve others.
Frank was born to parents who left the Dominican Republic in search of a new beginning. Growing up in Brooklyn, his childhood was far from easy. His mother, divorced and raising two sons and a daughter on her own, made sacrifices that instilled in him an unwavering work ethic and the belief that perseverance was the only way forward. Baseball once seemed to be his path, but life redirected him into the deserts of Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War, where the horrors of war and the weight of near-death experiences forced him to confront his faith in ways he had never imagined. It was there, in the midst of combat, that God began to show up in his life, but even then, he didn’t listen. Until that day came when Frank was the closest to death, and he gave it all to God. In that moment, he felt the yoke break off and experienced the peace and grace of God for the first time. That’s when he began to believe he would make it back home without worry or question.
Returning home was not simple. Frank carried the invisible wounds of war, battling severe PTSD while trying to rebuild his life. He became a correctional officer, a role that demanded rules, structure, and enforcement. Yet, in those sterile hallways, he found himself doing the opposite of what was expected. Rather than keeping a distance, he sat with inmates, listened to their stories, and shared the message of hope he himself had clung to in the desert. It was a significant step that seemed to reveal a deeper calling: to bring light into the darkest corners, no matter where they appeared. When Frank moved to Pennsylvania in 2002, life was heavy. Two years of battling PTSD, a strained marriage, and a drifting faith had left him distant from God. Then, through one of his wife’s coworkers, came an unexpected invitation to a bilingual church called House of Worship. Frank knew in his heart it was not a coincidence but divine timing.
That Friday night, he opened the church doors and was immediately overcome by the sound of worship. The music filled the room with such beauty that tears streamed down his face. “Thank you, Lord, for not forgetting about me,” he whispered, realizing he was finally home.
During the service, the message reached deep into his heart. Afterward, he met the pastor, who spoke in Spanish. Although Frank’s Spanish was limited, he thanked him sincerely and shared how vividly Scripture came alive when he read it, as if watching a movie unfold. The pastor smiled and said, “That is a gift. God reveals His Word to you in a special way.” Then he added prophetically, “Young man, work on your Spanish. Where God sends you, you will need to preach in it.”
Years later, those words seemed to have proven true. Frank not only preached internationally in Spanish, but he also pastors a thriving bilingual church.
That calling followed him across the country, and in every conversation, it reminded him of the road that brought him here. Ten years ago, while working in a prison, Frank felt God place a book on his heart. He did not fully understand it at the time, but the word “Kairos,” meaning divine timing, stayed with him. A decade later, after relocating to the West Coast, he found himself ten chapters deep into a manuscript that would soon become his debut book. For Frank, writing was never about chasing recognition. It was about obedience, about honoring the story God had written through his life, and offering it as a testimony to others who might need hope.
This journey was not walked alone. Frank gives credit to his wife of thirty-four years, whose love and commitment have been a constant foundation. He honors his mother, father, children, his late friends who motivated him through their final battles with cancer, and his church community that has embraced his leadership. Every person, every moment, every hardship has shaped the man he is today: a veteran, pastor, author, brother, husband, and servant of God.
In Port Orchard, Frank now pastors Iglesia Cristiana Shekinah, the city’s first bilingual church. His mission is simple yet powerful: to build bridges across cultures and languages, creating a community where faith and love break barriers. Beyond the pulpit, his work extends into projects that empower others, including support for veterans through VA claims, youth initiatives like Rooted in Love, and outreach hubs that bring hope into prisons. Each endeavor is an extension of his belief that service is the truest reflection of faith.
Frank’s book captures not just his story but the essence of divine timing. He writes from the perspective of a man who has walked through deserts both physical and spiritual, who has faced the silence of trauma and the noise of doubt, yet emerged with a voice rooted in conviction.
His message is clear: “Trials are not the end of the story, but the beginning of transformation.”
When asked where he sees himself in thirty days, Frank does not speak in timelines or benchmarks. Instead, he talks about tomorrow, about living in the present with trust in God’s plan. “When you walk in the divine timing of the Lord, the calendar doesn’t apply the same way,” he says. That philosophy, lived out daily, is what makes his story relatable to veterans, faith communities, and anyone navigating their own season of uncertainty.
Frank’s humility is striking, but it does not diminish his impact. Recently elected as a Board Director and Spanish Director for Prison Mission Association, he is already extending his influence across state lines, supporting mission work in the Dominican Republic, and inspiring volunteers to take the gospel into jails and communities. At the heart of all this is not a desire for recognition but a desire to see lives changed, to see others embrace the same grace that saved him.
The significance of his journey is best captured in one truth: Frank Salcedo is not simply telling a story; he is living proof of it. From combat to community, from prison halls to church pews, from dreams of baseball to the reality of pastoral leadership, his life stands as a reminder that purpose is never lost. It is revealed in time.
Now, as his book Why Me? Why Not You! prepares to reach readers, Frank extends an invitation. It is not just an invitation to read, but to reflect, to believe, and to trust that divine timing is at work in every moment of life.
Readers can connect with Frank and follow his journey through Iglesia Cristiana Shekinah Port Orchard online, or join him in person at his church, where faith meets community in a powerful way. For those searching for hope, healing, or a renewed sense of purpose, his message is simple yet life-changing: look forward, keep faith, and trust that the right time is already written.
Follow Frank on Instagram at @ics_port_orchard, visit iglesiacristianashekinahofportorchard.com, and be part of the movement he is building in Port Orchard and beyond.
