Nick Long founded Sharpen Recovery out of his own personal experience with substance use. From the ages of 15 to 21, Nick was bound by addiction. But in 2016, he encountered the grace of God in a way that changed everything—an experience that exposed the goodness of God to him and sparked a desire to leave behind the drugs and destructive lifestyle to pursue the true fulfillment he had been searching for in substances: a relationship with God.

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After going through treatment and living in recovery housing himself, Nick began to prioritize time in God’s Word, prayer, and journaling. It was during that season that he sensed a clear calling: to open a recovery housing program that took both the reality of addiction and the power of Christ seriously.

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As he rooted himself deeper in recovery, Nick longed to create spaces where others could experience the same hope, stability, and fresh start that had transformed his life. Everyone who knew Nick after he received that calling knew the mission he was on—he spent three years working to bring the vision to life. Sharpen Recovery was incorporated in 2016, but the first house didn’t open until 2019—just seven months after Nick married his wife, Madison. Nick often says the Lord needed to grow him up, give him a teammate in Madison, and surround him with mentors so he’d have the support necessary to carry out this challenging work and prepare for the big vision the Lord had for Sharpen.

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Throughout the journey, Nick has sought advice from others who operate recovery houses, and from wise men and women with the business experience needed for this work. He’s remained a student, shaped by the guidance of many who have played a vital role in directing and sharpening the mission.

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What began with a single house has grown into the largest accredited recovery housing organization in Texas, with 17 houses across four counties in just five years. Sharpen exists to provide lasting sobriety and freedom through recovery housing—offering structured, Christ-centered environments where men and women can rebuild their lives. Nick is quick to say the success of Sharpen is not his own doing, but the result of an incredible team, a generous community, and the faithful direction of the Lord.

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Today, Nick is approaching ten years of sobriety. He’s been married to Madison for over six years, and they’re raising their son, Nicholas Jr. He serves as Board President of the Texas Recovery-Oriented Housing Network, the accrediting agency for recovery residences across Texas. Through Sharpen’s founding of the Houston Recovery Residence Network—bringing together organizations across the city to grow and strengthen one another—Nick has become a mentor to countless leaders in this field and beyond. Additionally, in June 2025, Sharpen launched the Recovery House Launch Cohort, an initiative that provides training to individuals who feel called to open recovery houses just like Nick.

 

His hope is that no one seeking recovery would ever be without a safe place to grow, heal, and flourish. Stay tuned—there’s more movement ahead toward a big vision.