Recently Michael Dell gave $6 billion to future students. It made me think back to when I talked to him in 1986.

I was at a conference in Austin representing my business school. Dell was the next speaker on the agenda. A 21 year-old making computers in his dorm room, he'd started a company he called PCs Limited. They made computers and sold directly to consumers. Dell's business was exploding. He talked about the implications and how he was coping.

I was blown away by how fast he was moving and how far-reaching his insight was. I thought to myself, "I wish I could invest in his business, it's going to go to the moon."

Afterwards, there was a reception. I went over and talked to Dell. He was just as sharp one-on-one as he'd been giving his presentation.

"Who do you see as your biggest competitors?" I asked. "What about Apple - they seem to be up and coming."

"No, we don't have to worry about them. We're in a different market segment," he began and elaborated with insight far beyond his years.

I left thinking to myself, "If I hadn't already committed to ministry, I'd go work for this guy."

And now, almost 40 years later, I reflect on the path I took. Yes, if I'd moved to Austin and thrown my lot in with Dell Computer, it would potentially have been lucrative. Maybe it would have been fun.

But I'm so glad that didn't happen. The path of ministry didn't make any sense to a lot of my classmates at business school. We'd been trained to grow businesses and make money. I felt God calling me to focus on changing lives instead.

As I look back on my life, God has filled it full of adventure and relationships. And I learned how to help young people go deep in pursuing a life in Christ. I've traveled the world with my wife as coaches of young people serving people Jesus referred to as "the least of these." I've befriended them and they've touched my life.

Yes, what Dell has accomplished is incredible. And the gift that he gave to America's young people is unprecedented. But the path I followed was the one God had for me. I'm so glad I followed it.