Boy preacher. Youth pastor. Circuit preacher. Elder of a megachurch. J. W. (Jerry) Burgess spent a good portion of his life steeped in traditional religion with all its trappings. And then he left it all.

The Tree of Life and Wisdom is an account of his search for a more encompassing spirituality. From a hard-driving CEO to a man facing his own death with a diagnosis of stage 4 colon cancer, Jerry tracks his growing understanding of the Divine. In day-to-day living, through meditation, he finds meaning, compassion, and peace.

His writing sparkles with light touches of humor as well as candor. Scenes from his essays and life include:

• an encounter with the Divine in the person of a donut-giving saint
• a vision at a poker table while playing Texas Hold'em
• an exploration of the deep connection between decay and rebirth while visiting a Shaker cemetery
• a recounting of his failed marriage, the joy of remarriage, and the healing of relationships with his daughters

In many ways, Jerry's journey echoes the yearnings of those unaffiliated with a specific religion, yet yearn for a deeper spirituality, to experience the language of God through warmth and awe-to encounter the Presence.