00:00:00:00 – 00:00:27:12

Dr. Christine Boor

Welcome to Conversatio on every college podcast. This podcast aims to form and transform our community so that each of us can reflect God’s image more perfectly. I’m Doctor Christine Boor, I’m the chair of the master’s in classical and liberal education here at Belmont Abbey College, and I’ll be a host for today’s episode. I’m thrilled to be joined by Regan Long.

 

00:00:27:14 – 00:00:52:00

Dr. Christine Boor

There’s a dynamic Catholic speaker, a bestselling author, and a mother of five. Today, we’ll dive into the significance of a liberal arts education and discuss the importance of raising our children and young adults rooted in truth amidst today’s culture. So welcome, Reagan. And if I could just, give you a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself, to introduce yourself to those of our listeners who might not have met you yet.

 

00:00:52:02 – 00:01:24:08

Regan Long

Yes. Of course. Well, first of all, I’m so blessed to be here. Thank you so much for having me. So everything in my life right now is just ordained and orchestrated by God. I went to college in Pennsylvania at Catholic College. I went to Mercyhurst and in Erie, Pennsylvania, and I went to be a teacher. So I got my degree in elementary and special education, loved children, and I was a teacher for ten years.

 

00:01:24:10 – 00:01:46:00

Regan Long

But in that time I had four babies in six years. And so that made it really interesting. It was always like, Mrs. Long is going on maternity leave again, Mrs. Long is pregnant again. And so my heart was really pulled to be at home. And so I kept praying for a way I’m like, Lord, I’ve gotta get home.

 

00:01:46:00 – 00:02:10:00

Regan Long

I’ve gotta get home to these babies. And I have such a crazy big faith that he was going to bring me home. And, I had no platform whatsoever, but I would randomly start posting on Facebook these little blips of motherhood and sharing the very real raw parts of it. But there was always a silver lining.

 

00:02:10:00 – 00:02:41:18

Regan Long

It was just the most miraculous blessing I’ve ever been given. And things took off. Big, big outlets started picking me up in agent books. God brought me home. Praise God. And he, you know, just from me showing up through my platforms to over 800,000 followers and, I now also have a podcast with my best friend in the world, number one, Pro-Life advocate Abby Johnson.

 

00:02:41:20 – 00:03:01:14

Regan Long

She’s the former Planned Parenthood director for eight years. Now her goal is to save as many babies as she can and she’s fabulous. And so we have our own podcast called The Real Deal of Parenting. And so Abby has eight kids, I have five kids. And so you just never know what’s coming like.

 

00:03:01:14 – 00:03:27:16

Regan Long

We’re both very blunt people, and so people appreciate that. And so my five children and I live in the Lake Norman area, and every day is somewhat the same, but very different. Like it. Just as a mom yourself, you have to be willing to roll with the punches. It’s this kid for getting their gym shoes in. This person doesn’t have their basketball uniform.

 

00:03:27:18 – 00:03:51:13

Regan Long

You know, all my kids are athletes and so it’s it’s it’s writing it’s doing the podcast. It’s running a business. But ultimately I really got into this place every single day. It has to be surrendering to God’s will no matter what the big picture is like. Okay, we know this is what my career is.

 

00:03:51:17 – 00:04:14:10

Regan Long

This is my ministry as a mother. But I have found that some days God is like, I don’t want you trying to save the world and I want you to wash the dishes without complaining. I want you to fold the seventh load of laundry joyfully. I want you that the ninth time you’re cleaning up a mess. Just do it with a smile.

 

00:04:14:15 – 00:04:37:23

Regan Long

Like Saint Mary’s. Like just finding joy in the most simple little things. And there’s times I’m like, okay, but I’m going to go fight abortion and fight human trafficking and fight just all of this evil indoctrination happening. And he’s like, no, not today. Today you’re just mom. Today you’re just my servant. And so I’ve been really trying to be very in tune with that.

 

00:04:37:23 – 00:05:08:00

Regan Long

Like every morning it’s like, okay, I know my plan, but what’s your plan for me today? So that’s just kind of where I’m at right now. 

 

Dr. Christine Boor

So a day in the life could mean anything. 

 

Regan Long

Yeah, anything. 

 

Dr. Christine Boor

Well that’s so let’s dive in and think. I mean, you obviously speak a lot about motherhood. So how, raising five children in today’s culture, do you instill a real Catholic vision?

 

00:05:08:01 – 00:05:33:18

Dr. Christine Boor

And how do you orient your children towards truth?

 

Regan Long

Well, there’s so many other competing voices, right? And so we are and the kids will always say we’re kind of there’s traditional Catholics, but they’ll be like, we’re diehard Catholics. We’re the Catholics that are going to die on any hill. I mean, we’re all very human, very flawed.

 

00:05:33:20 – 00:06:00:00

Regan Long

But our Catholic faith is everything. And especially raising children today in 2025, which is so scary. It’s making them so cemented in the truth that when they’re hit with all this evil, because we cannot keep them in a bubble when they’re hit with, and we live in a very conservative area, but it is everywhere.

 

00:06:00:02 – 00:06:22:17

Regan Long

You know, when my daughter was in third grade, she came home and she told me, Michael in my class says that he’s a girl now. And so we’re supposed to call Michael a she. She was, you know, very confused. And she’s like, but he’s not a she. And I said, you know, no, he’s not. And I said, you need to love Michael and respect Michael and be kind to him.

 

00:06:22:17 – 00:06:43:06

Regan Long

And we have to pray for him. But Michael’s confused. And so what we do, my children will never participate in a lie. Anything, you know, really comes down to anything that is against God we don’t participate in. That doesn’t mean we need to be rude. That doesn’t mean we need to be hateful about it. But it’s standing in truth.

 

00:06:43:08 – 00:07:06:15

Regan Long

And so for me, you know, we always go to Sunday mass when the kids don’t have school. We try to go to daily mass if they’re off for some reason. We do a daily rosary together. And it’s funny how that started. And this is the Blessed Mother. Five years ago for lent, and we’re in lent right now. I was praying, what should I give up?

 

00:07:06:15 – 00:07:23:14

Regan Long

What should we do differently? And the Blessed Mother put it upon my heart, I don’t I don’t want you to give up anything. I want you to add something. I want you to say a daily rosary. At this point, I was not doing a daily rosary in my life. And this the rosary is the most powerful weapon individually and for a family.

 

00:07:23:16 – 00:07:40:07

Regan Long

Absolutely. Hands down. And so the Blessed Mother was like, I want you and your entire family to say the rosary together. Well, of course, after lent, that’s like, oh my gosh, I can’t stop saying the rosary now that it’s Easter. So it’s been a thing. And, you know, and my kids are normal. My kids range from 17 to 5.

 

00:07:40:07 – 00:08:12:10

Regan Long

It’s like, my God to say the rosary. Yeah. Like yes we do, Jesus carried the cross. It’s so and we do a divine chaplet. We do novenas. But it really comes down to instilling that, this is truth. We are surrounded in this world by such confusion. And sometimes it’s not just plain evil, but it’s confusion because we know Satan is the author of confusion and lies.

 

00:08:12:12 – 00:08:37:16

Regan Long

And so I feel like it’s constantly redirecting them. Yeah, I hear that that’s going on at school. I know that they’re saying this. I know that this is on TikTok, but this is the truth. And so it’s just having those constant conversations, constantly praying, constantly guiding them back to our faith. I mean, that’s all that you can do.

 

00:08:37:18 – 00:08:58:15

Dr. Christine Boor

Yeah. You know, so how do you how do you I mean, practically, it sounds like in raising children today, you are very open to having whatever conversation comes up.

 

Regan Long

You have to be. 

 

Dr. Christine Boor

How do you do that? Seems really significant to me, especially coming from a liberal arts background. Leading seminars every day.

 

00:08:58:17 – 00:09:18:08

Dr. Christine Boor

How do you know when to tell your daughter? Okay, Michael is now Mary or something like that. And I’m sure there’s a thousand other examples of that. What are the practical ways of handling those kinds of conversations? What is your disposition because probably there is some? Like, what’s going on here? 

 

Regan Long

Yeah. It’s the whole gamut of questions.

 

00:09:18:08 – 00:09:52:08

Regan Long

And so here’s the thing that I told myself because these are hard conversations, they’re very uncomfortable conversations. And of course, depending upon the age of your child, you have to give it to that age. Of course, I’m going to talk differently to my ten year old than I am my 17 year old. But if you as a parent are not going to have those conversations with your children, someone else will and that someone else more than likely is going to have possibly a different faith in you, they’re going to have a different opinion than you.

 

00:09:52:10 – 00:10:18:05

Regan Long

And so I have gotten to the point where I have forced myself to be okay being uncomfortable in these talks with my kids, and it’s like, ask me all the questions, because otherwise, even if they don’t go to another person, they’re going to go online, they’re going to go on TikTok, they’re going to go on YouTube. And every single platform is indoctrinated everywhere.

 

00:10:18:05 – 00:10:46:08

Regan Long

Every facet is indoctrinated now. And so it’s really I mean, even the sexual conversations, and even from just a traditional biblical standpoint of waiting for marriage. And it’s even when you have all this faith in yourself that, okay, this is how God has set it up. God has created it, that that sex is for a husband and wife.

 

00:10:46:08 – 00:11:08:02

Regan Long

It is for the sanctity of marriage. But you’re trusting yourself. Well, I’m going to go with my boyfriend and we’re going to be home alone, and we’re going to be okay. It’s like you even have to think before you allow yourself to get in those positions that the enemy’s going to be attacking. The flesh is weak. And so I truly and I look at all the mistakes I made as a teenager that I made in college.

 

00:11:08:04 – 00:11:28:18

Regan Long

I am a cradle Catholic. When I grew up, I had a very difficult childhood. I was abused, I was passed around, but it really drew me into my faith even closer. I always had a close relationship with the Blessed Mother, and I was always, I’m good. I just can’t wait to get married. I can’t wait to have babies.

 

00:11:28:19 – 00:11:55:02

Regan Long

I’m saving myself for marriage and that didn’t happen. Not because I didn’t want it to. I was so convicted, but I allowed myself to get into a position I couldn’t get out of. So it’s having those hard conversations that are reality despite our best efforts, despite loving the Lord, despite like, this is my plan, we have to know that the enemy is around every corner looking for a weak spot to get in there.

 

00:11:55:07 – 00:12:18:18

Regan Long

And our children, no matter what age, if they’re in college, if they’re in pre-K, they’re the most vulnerable. And so to know and I’m not trying to be a Debbie Downer here, but that is his mission. If he can go after the most vulnerable, if he can attack, I would say the best way to get me would be to be going for my children.

 

00:12:18:18 – 00:12:38:19

Regan Long

And so it’s having those hot card conversations and saying, okay, this is going to be uncomfortable. But listen, when you get in this position, you’re not going to possibly be strong enough to say no or to think, I’m nervous. How do I get out of it? You can just send your kids to sleepovers at a friend’s and something’s happening that they know is not right.

 

00:12:38:23 – 00:13:01:19

Regan Long

You know, we have plans in place. Blame it on me. Text me a certain emoji. Say, mom, call me. Say you’re coming home. So it’s really. And it can be exhausting. It’s exhausting. But it’s having that open dialog with your kids for all the possibilities of things that are happening every day today and 2025.

 

00:13:01:19 – 00:13:30:05

Dr. Christine Boor

Yeah, so it sounds like I mean, just what I’m hearing is that you’re saying continuing conversations with your children about the most important things, how have they come up? It sounds like it actually creates a kind of confidence for them to be able to navigate this so that they can come to you. There’s a certain confidence that says, okay, I can think through…

 

Regan Long

Yes, with these situations that it’s not if, but it’s when.

 

00:13:30:05 – 00:13:50:07

Regan Long

Yeah. And especially, you know, for me with five kids, it’s like not all five are going to get into the same situations. But I’ve even told them and one of my older children has already gotten to this position, like, you’re going to disobey me at some point, you’re going to be somewhere, I told you not to go, and I want you to call me.

 

00:13:50:09 – 00:14:06:12

Regan Long

I don’t want you to get into a car with somebody I don’t. And my oldest son called one night. He’s like, mom, you’re going to be very upset with me, but I need you to come get me. And I was like, I love you. Stay there. I’m on my way. And I was not happy. But he got into that car.

 

00:14:06:12 – 00:14:30:21

Regan Long

I hugged him. I am so glad you’re safe. I am disappointed we’re going to discuss this tomorrow, but it was a very calm, peaceful ride home because even though there were consequences. They need consequences because we’re in this society today. I think the biggest problem and we definitely see this by the time kids get to college are we’ve created children to be entitled.

 

00:14:31:00 – 00:14:53:23

Regan Long

We’ve enabled certain behaviors. Parents are doing their kids homework. They’re fixing their mistakes. They’re going to the coaches. They’re going to the teachers to where when you get in college, it’s like, no, it’s you and the professor. No, you have to let your children fail. And that’s so hard. You have to let them make the mistakes, but you have to let them know just as Christ is there for us.

 

00:14:54:01 – 00:15:16:13

Regan Long

The Bible, the righteous man, falls seven times a day. I go to confession weekly. I mean, my goodness, I drive my priest, not I go daily. I’m like, father, that’s the worst. And so just as Christ forgives us and we’re constantly coming to him for forgiveness and mercy, we better be doing that for our children. Now. But again, with consequences.

 

00:15:16:13 – 00:15:43:00

Regan Long

With boundaries. Yes, I am disappointed. I’m hurt, I love you. You are never going to outrun my love for you. Bye, by goodness you’re going to have these consequences. And it’s supposed to suck a little bit and it’s supposed to hurt.

 

Dr. Christine Boor

Yeah, yeah. How is it okay? so it sounds like certainty in addition to having those conversations that you’ve had to undergo your own process of, of healing and conversion prayer to navigate parenting.

 

00:15:43:00 – 00:16:08:21

Dr. Christine Boor

Well, so what role does your spiritual life education continue development play in your ability to help direct your children into the confusion in the midst? Because it seems like to receive some of that. It’s hard. 

 

Regan Long

Right? You know, I mean, I feel like it’s just one of two things. As a parent, you’re sharing everything you did wrong.

 

00:16:08:23 – 00:16:25:23

Regan Long

And and again, this is just how I do it. I, we have a very open relationship, to try to prevent them from making the same mistakes. And that is humbling because there are certain things I’ve told my children and they do not let me forget. They’ll be like, you remember that time mom, when you did that? And I’m like, yes.

 

00:16:25:23 – 00:16:49:11

Regan Long

Yep. You remind me 17 times now. I won’t forget. But truly, it’s this humility of sharing your flaws, by sharing your sins, you’re trying to protect them and prevent, like, I messed up, and I carried guilt and shame for so long, and I don’t want that for you. And it took a long time to heal from that.

 

00:16:49:13 – 00:17:15:02

Regan Long

And because here’s the thing. Sin has sometimes a lifetime of consequences. And even though we’re forgiven, the enemy does love to play in guilt and shame, too. And so that’s a factor as well. And so it’s really trying to say, listen, I did this and I would do anything to take it back. And it’s also playing on. Here’s a few of the things I got right.

 

00:17:15:03 – 00:17:34:12

Regan Long

And it was hard. But this is what it took. I mean I was also an athlete. All my kids are athletes talking about sports, talking about dedication, talking about, okay, if you want this, this bad, your education can’t suffer. So it’s staying up late. It’s wake setting the alarm, waking up early to study for the test because you had an away game last night.

 

00:17:34:14 – 00:18:00:17

Regan Long

It’s, you know, making the hard decision that this is how I was able just to scrape by to earn that. This is how I was really successful here. And of course, every child they have the same parents. You discipline them the same. You love them the same. They’re all under the same roof. But God has made them their own little individuals.

 

00:18:00:17 – 00:18:23:00

Regan Long

It’s like, oh my gosh, like guys like, can we all get on the same page? But so you have to cater, you have to tailor just as a teacher, you know, there’s times you have to not every student is going to learn the same way. And so it is by far, and you’re going to experience this. It is the greatest blessing in the world.

 

00:18:23:02 – 00:18:51:16

Regan Long

But if you’re doing your job right, it’s exhausting. It’s exhausting. And it’s also turning it over to Lord, I can’t do this alone. Like, I lost my temper today. I messed up and I need you to help me make tomorrow better. And it’s also speaking of that. It’s also owning up to your children, no matter if it’s my five year old, when I’ve hurt his feelings, he knows that when mom is ready, she’s going to apologize.

 

00:18:51:20 – 00:19:12:15

Regan Long

Same thing when my kids are being rude to each other. They need to look that sibling in the eye, apologize and say specifically what they’ve done, what they’re apologizing for. And even with me, I’m like, if it’s not sincere, I don’t want the apology yet. It’s just words. It’s meaningless. And sometimes it takes hours. Sometimes it’s 24 hours, sometimes it’s two days.

 

00:19:12:17 – 00:19:42:20

Regan Long

But, you know, so it’s like all of these things and it’s the secret sauce with faith, with education, with all these things. It’s the repetition. Do you know what I mean? You have to be painfully consistent. And so I really think that’s where you really hit it. 

 

Dr. Christine Boor

I’ve heard doctor Bob Shute say reparation can be more powerful than the original break.

 

00:19:42:22 – 00:20:02:08

Dr. Christine Boor

Yeah. That sounds like something you do well. 

 

Regan Long

Well, I think I fail at it, but I just, I really do. I mean, and if you asked my kids, they’d be like, no, she does. She’s got this all wrong. But I try and I keep showing up. And so I think it’s literally it’s just failing forward.

 

00:20:02:08 – 00:20:32:00

Regan Long

Yeah. No seriously as you’re like oh my gosh I’m about to break this baby into the word no. Yeah. It’s fantastic.

 

Dr. Christine Boor

Well tell me a little bit about how maybe your background in education and your, you know, thinking about how, what kind of difference a liberal arts education has today. Makes for helping raise children who are sort of able to be oriented towards the truth and able to sort of grow into independence.

 

00:20:32:00 – 00:21:00:23

Dr. Christine Boor

Maybe it sounds like that’s part of this. 

 

Regan Long

Yeah. Well, it’s so anyone who has followed me over the years knows I’m extremely blunt. I am brutally honest. And so, you know, when you all had reached out to me and these were kind of the topics in liberal arts education, I was like, am I the person they want to talk about this because but trust me, I’m going to wrap this back around is everyone’s like, cut, cut.

 

00:21:01:01 – 00:21:28:00

Regan Long

You know, I think what’s very scary for me and I’ve been very outspoken, across the country, so many colleges we are seeing, even Catholic colleges, even Christian colleges, but especially Catholic colleges, we’re seeing them fall short. We’re seeing them turn woke. We’re seeing them fall for the lies of just loving people in their mental illness, loving them in their lies.

 

00:21:28:02 – 00:21:57:10

Regan Long

And when I’m seeing some stories and I’ve had parents reach out sharing stories, this was my child going into college. And this is them coming out, and they’re a different person. It is. It’s horrifying. It’s scary. It is very scary. And so this is where it comes back to. Our job as a parent is to instill that truth that we could send our children anywhere, and they are going to stand their ground, I might add my children.

 

00:21:57:10 – 00:22:23:21

Regan Long

My youngest is at a Catholic school. My older four are in public school. Not by my choice but to say that, however, I had a principal call me. My ten year old was going up against another little girl. And you get everything at home, right? And she was talking about, well, I’m, we’re voting for the person where I get to keep my rights.

 

00:22:23:21 – 00:22:43:03

Regan Long

And this is a ten year old little girl. And Kelsey’s my daughter is like “your rights?” What do you mean, your rights? My right to choose. And my kids know life begins at conception. And so. And Kelsey’s my little tomboy, and it’s almost like she’s like, all right, here we go. So she’s like, abortion is murder. You know what I mean?

 

00:22:43:03 – 00:23:12:09

Regan Long

So my kids I know felt, you know, go for the jugular. So my parents, the principal called and she’s like, well, I adore you, Reagan. And your daughter. And I agree with you. We do have to tone it down a little bit, like the other children were like murder. And so but I’m so proud that despite my children being so flawed, they’re so rooted in truth that they can handle, for the most part, these environments that they’re put in.

 

00:23:12:11 – 00:23:51:16

Regan Long

However, that being said, when I was introduced to Belmont Abbey College last year and I drove up on the campus, I got chills. There’s just something so different about it here. And everywhere you turn, you don’t just see Jesus as the presence, but you feel it. And that’s extraordinary. And I find no matter what business or institution or campus I’m walking on, it’s hard to feel that today.

 

00:23:51:20 – 00:24:13:07

Regan Long

It really is. And there’s something different about here that it’s like everything that can be offered that’s going to set you up for success. We were just talking before we started recording. So I’m preparing my 17 year old just like mom, how am I supposed to choose what I’m going to do for the rest of my life?

 

00:24:13:07 – 00:24:29:20

Regan Long

And we were talking about children. Well, they’re now adults, you know, when they’re 18 and they’re coming here, you know, I still will look at my kids as babies, sending them off. You know, it’s giving them a program. It’s like, okay, you’re not yet sure what you want to do with the rest of your life, and that’s okay.

 

00:24:30:02 – 00:24:55:05

Regan Long

But giving them these options to find their God given talents and interests, like, I came here to study this and I took a few classes and I know this is not for me. And and again, with the presence of Christ everywhere and just stirring in their heart, it’s like, okay, what am I supposed to do? And then finding that niche, finding that connection, this is what I’m being called to do.

 

00:24:55:07 – 00:25:26:09

Regan Long

I think that something so special and so incredibly rare today that sets Belmont Abbey apart.I think in a very elite category across the country, that is like, this is just the diamond in the rough. Yeah. You know, and when you want to send your children somewhere, I think you have to, you have to pray about it.

 

00:25:26:09 – 00:26:03:13

Regan Long

You have to really look into it because it’s there. It’s not just going for an education. It’s not just, okay, this is where you’re going to set yourself up for success in a career. This is also a tipping point. This college can make or break you and it’s extraordinarily scary and beautiful and exciting. And so I feel like it is one of the big things aside from living in your faith and going through the sacraments, right, and being an active participant in your faith, this is one of and choosing the right life partner.

 

00:26:03:15 – 00:26:34:07

Regan Long

It is one of the biggest decisions you’re going to make, where you’re going to just set yourself up as an adult. And so, and, well, of course, everyone in the country cannot come to build my honor. And nor am I saying that, it’s suggesting that, but it’s just like, this is truly, somewhere I personally am critical as I am, and I am as much as I am investigative and I’m leaving no stone unturned.

 

00:26:34:07 – 00:26:55:18

Regan Long

This is happening at this college, and this Catholic college has now collapsed and they’ve gone rogue. It’s like I would send any one of my five children here and be like, yeah, they’re in God’s hands. This is like a safe, amazing place. 

 

Dr. Christine Boor

Yeah. Especially after you do all the work of cultivating that, you know? You want to at least give someone the support.

 

00:26:55:20 – 00:27:29:05

Dr. Christine Boor

You don’t get to hide from the world anywhere. But right to to give them the opportunity to really integrate the intellect with the heart, with the faith. It is so rare. 

 

Regan Long

And I think what’s really cool too, just what I want to add, it’s, you know, so often and I’ve had people who follow me and they’re like, well, it’s just not cool to be holy and just, like, devout Catholic, like, you know, I this this one beautiful girl in her late 20s, her father is like, well, you just follow this friggin long.

 

00:27:29:05 – 00:27:53:22

Regan Long

And she’s like, well, she sounds like a nut. She sounds like she’s some just, you know, and hardly am I enough. But she was following me and it’s like, same thing when you’re on this campus, although you see Jesus everywhere and you can feel his presence. I mean, the student body is very normal, very cool. Like, the sports are incredible.

 

00:27:53:22 – 00:28:18:11

Regan Long

My daughter’s in soccer and we were like, checking out this, like, so there’s just so much to offer. And so I think people can just get wrapped up like, well, I just, I just don’t want it to be too stuffy into that. And it’s like, that’s what’s beautiful. It’s just the whole picture, you know, that you get everything here and you just where, where can you really send your child where they’re going to get all of that?

 

00:28:18:13 – 00:28:42:18

Dr. Christine Boor

It’s a great question. 

 

Regan Long

I mean, to be continued, we don’t know. 

 

Dr. Christine Boor

Well, I think I think it’s. Well, that sort of segways into another question. I had just the importance of community on this journey. And, obviously you have a very popular podcast with, you know, some unknown name out there, Abby Johnson.

 

00:28:42:20 – 00:29:07:11

Dr. Christine Boor

But just to think about maybe the role of community in raising your children in building up culture in continually searching for the truth. The life of the parish, the life of the school. What? What does that play as you navigate these waters?

 

Regan Long

I mean, it’s huge.

 

00:29:07:11 – 00:29:35:05

Regan Long

Because again, like I said, we can’t keep our children in a bubble. So you’re constantly sending them out in the waters among sharks, right. And so to put it mildly, to put it mildly, everyone’s like, wow, this woman just really doesn’t sugarcoat it. You’re sending your children out among the church? No. You know, community is everything. So I think it’s like choosing your community wisely.

 

00:29:35:07 – 00:29:59:21

Regan Long

You know, I always say it. And my grandmother’s would always say, and you’re going to notice this soon when you have this sweet little miracle, it takes a village, whether it’s neighbors, whether it’s people from your parish, whether it’s coaches, whether it’s moms in the carpool, because I can’t be in four places at once. And so it’s really embracing that community.

 

00:29:59:23 – 00:30:34:12

Regan Long

But you have to be selective, you know, again, going back to this is just the brutal reality, the times we live in, you know, when some of these horror stories may come out, you have to know who your children are around. And, you have to make the best decisions. You have to have that discretion, but especially when you’re leaning into people in our faith and you’re leaning into the church and you’re leaning into the values.

 

00:30:34:12 – 00:30:59:12

Regan Long

And again, for us, for me specifically, it’s a total reliance on the sacraments. Like I notice when I don’t have the Eucharist daily, my days off. And even if it’s slightly tweaked, it’s like it would have been better if I would have gone to mass, if I would have received our Lord. If I don’t get a confession every week, it’s like it’s a heaviness on me.

 

00:30:59:12 – 00:31:22:08

Regan Long

Even Padre Pio said, every soul needs a good dusting once a week, the most holy of schools do. And so it’s a reliance on the community while being selective about that community. And I think it’s just a heavy reliance on the sacraments. And like I said, I’ll go back to it, just the repetition. And then consistency of just everything.

 

00:31:22:08 – 00:31:48:11

Regan Long

And again, sometimes my kids are like, we know this, we know this. And like, I know you know this, but like, you can never prepare them too much. You know, you can never pour into them the truth too much because they’re going to be surrounded by confusion and lies. And in a world today that is telling you are a racist, you are a bigot, you are unchristian.

 

00:31:48:11 – 00:32:08:12

Regan Long

Like if you’re not accepting of my truth and my reality, and it’s like I can love you from over here, I will pray for you. I am not going to attack you, but I will not participate in your life and neither will my children. I’m not going to participate in that false reality that the end that the enemy is perpetuating.

 

00:32:08:14 – 00:32:33:22

Regan Long

And so it’s community is huge. It’s monumental. But the selective community.

 

Dr. Christine Boor

Yeah. Well, I think by way of wrapping up, bringing a baby into the world in a couple months. So what, what kind of advice would you give to meet other young parents bringing in children into this world that you’ve been navigating for a while now of motherhood?

 

00:32:33:22 – 00:32:42:15

Dr. Christine Boor

What would be the one thing necessary that you would say to me that you wish someone had said to you?

 

00:32:42:16 – 00:33:08:09

Regan Long

Oh gosh, so many things are going through my head. But I feel it’s this aside from and I feel like this is always the first answer. You have to keep Jesus at your center. You have to, not allow excuses for instance, all of my children were born on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.

 

00:33:08:11 – 00:33:29:23

Regan Long

I was at mass with them that Sunday. Not like the following Sunday, like a couple days later. And not because I’m trying to be some hero, like, you know, I’m having a difficult time walking, but there’s no excuse. Look, God gave me his only son. Look what Jesus did for me. I can show up to mass. It’s knowing the non-negotiables.

 

00:33:30:01 – 00:33:59:18

Regan Long

Because if you and your husband are going to live out those, that’s. That’s everything. That’s foundational. But also, I think, again, and we were told this, we were warned the last and final and greatest tax is going to be on marriage in the family. Satan hates marriages. He hates holy marriages. He hates marriages and families that have Jesus at their center.

 

00:33:59:18 – 00:34:30:22

Regan Long

So, you know, the attacks are going to come. But I think to be and I wish someone really would have instilled into me. And really get emotional to be a great the best parent you can be, I think is also offering them a very sound, sturdy, holy marriage. And so often, you know, my biggest mistake and I know this is common.

 

00:34:31:00 – 00:34:49:00

Regan Long

When I had my first child, my daughter, I was so in love, I was captivated. This was like, this is all I ever prayed for was to be a mom and a wife and have a family. And my husband was still able to put me first, but it was like, I just have to keep her alive. I’ve got to breastfeed.

 

00:34:49:01 – 00:35:17:00

Regan Long

I’ve got I’m up all night like it was just she became my everything. And I think it’s so easy to lose focus that first comes Christ, always. Then it’s your spouse and then it’s your child and children. And I think so often that is a common mistake. And it’s a very slippery slope, because when you lose that footing, it’s hard to get back.

 

00:35:17:01 – 00:35:43:09

Regan Long

And one of the best gifts you can give your children, whether God blesses you with 1 or 12 children, one of the best gifts is a holy, happy marriage and a sound family. And I feel like when you, not just provide them, that when you show them that that’s what you have, that’s ultimately the greatest gift you can give them.

 

00:35:43:11 – 00:36:10:23

Regan Long

Your husband’s going to thank me later. It’s going to be like three, three. Play that clip, honey. When you’re tired and you’ve been up all night, remember? Remember. Jesus, let me the baby. Number three. 

 

Dr. Christine Boor

I’ll be sure to show him this right. 

 

Regan Long

“What did that Reagan Long say?” 

 

Dr. Christine Boor

Well, thank you so much. 

 

Regan Long

Yes. 

 

Dr. Christine Boor

I guess as we conclude, thank you to our audience for joining us.

 

00:36:10:23 – 00:36:37:17

Dr. Christine Boor

And thank you, Reagan, so much for being here today and for your wonderful advice and conversation. And, if you enjoyed this episode, follow us wherever podcasts are available. And until next time, God bless. Thank you.

• Regan Long