About The Inward Turn

The What

The Inward Turn distills thoughts, ideas and insights from Christian and spiritual writers that can help guide us on our life journey, facilitating a deeper, richer understanding of God, and of ourselves.

Drawing on a wide variety of ancient and contemporary books, articles and writings, a common theme begins to emerge: we must cease looking to the outside for fulfillment, and instead look within.

For an example, see: Thomas Merton on Discovering Meaning and Purpose Within. See, also, the introductory post to The Inward Turn.

The Belief

The Inward Turn was named for the belief that turning inward – into the depths and recesses of our being – holds the key to unlocking the very things we tirelessly pursue in our outward striving. Indeed, the joy and love, peace and fulfillment that we long to accompany us on life’s journey already exist, dwelling within and awaiting our discovery.

The Goal

The Inward Turn is motivated by the desire to share the wisdom and experience offered by some of the world’s brightest spiritual thinkers in the hope that it enhances our understanding of God, ourselves, and the lives we are called to lead as God’s created beings.

The Quote

St. Augustine, one of the early church fathers from the 4-5th century, wrote in his autobiography Confessions:

“Why are [men] not happy? Because they are so fully preoccupied with other things which do more to make them miserable than those which would make them happy…[y]et there is a little light in men. Let them walk – let them walk in it, lest the darkness overtake them.” 

The Inward Turn is, above all, an attempt to walk in this “little light.” I hope you’ll join me.

The Story Behind The Inward Turn

Hello and welcome! My name is Katharine Rose and I’m an avid reader, writer, and seeker of wisdom and truth.

I was a 2017 Princeton Theological Seminary candidate on her way to complete a Master of Divinity degree before God did what He often tends to do: interrupt our life plans. It was during a 6-day silent retreat a month before I was scheduled to begin classes that I strongly felt God calling me away from seminary and into the vast unknown.

The Inward Turn has grown out of my desperate attempt to find solid ground – really, to find God – during a time of great uncertainty in my life.

Part of that uncertainty stemmed from feeling a sense of lost identity. As a Type A, achievement driven individual, my value and worth has always been tied to my credentials. But, what I’ve (slowly!) been learning is that those things don’t define me; they’re not my identity and they’re not who I am. In fact, the more I’ve tried to root my identity in those things, the more unfulfilling my life has become.

So, who am I?

Ultimately, I’m learning to see myself as who God defines me – and all believers – to be: one of His beloved children (1 John 3:1 ) whom he has blessed with certain gifts (Romans 12:6).

With that in mind, below are a few things that God seems to have bestowed upon me: