In the end, a few things stood out that helped me make the right choice. On the one hand, it was the realization that this would not be fifteen wasted years in a career that I would no longer have. It would be fifteen years of spiritual training for what God had planned for me in ministry. Second, the time spent watching my father deal with all the problems associated with church work was compared to that of an apprentice. I was able to take the lessons learned and apply them to my own life and future ministry endeavors. Finally, money wasn't everything and God will always provide for those who fully trust in Him.