How to Find “New Every Morning” Mercies on a Fire Evacuation Map
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
— Lamentations 3:22–23 NIV
Gratitude has always sounded like such a beautiful word to me. It’s easy to talk about gratitude when life feels predictable, when the coffee is hot, the mountains are clear, and the calendar looks ordinary. It’s a little harder to practice when your mornings begin by checking evacuation maps instead of your to-do list.
For the past several weeks, that’s exactly how my days have started. Before I answer an email, before I settle into work, and often before my sweet granddaughter has her bottle, I’ve opened the Aspen Acres Fire map on my phone. I zoom in to see where the evacuation lines have moved, read the latest containment report, and whisper another simple prayer. Somewhere between those quiet mornings and the smoky afternoons, God began teaching me something I don’t think I could have learned any other way.
“New Every Morning” & Already Here
Living in the Colorado mountains means wildfire is always a possibility, but possibility feels very different than reality. At one point, the evacuation line came to within five miles of our front door. Every notification made my heart race just a little faster. Some mornings the smoke hung so thick over the mountains that the familiar view outside my window disappeared. I realized fear has a way of doing the same thing—it clouds our vision until all we can see is the uncertainty directly in front of us.
My thoughts continually drifted toward the families in Beulah. While we were praying, we wouldn’t have to leave, but they were watching homes, memories, and generations of family history disappear. Before many had even begun to process that loss, flash floods brought another wave of devastation. Watching their resilience in the middle of unimaginable grief quietly changed me.
I tend to look for what God is teaching in difficult seasons. Sometimes I wish those lessons came through easier circumstances. Yet, again and again, I’ve discovered that God rarely wastes our pain. He meets us there. Not always by changing our circumstances immediately, but by reminding us that His presence is more constant than anything we can see.
My prayers became wonderfully uncomplicated: “Lord, protect them. Strengthen the firefighters. Comfort the families. Help us trust You today.” I didn’t need polished words. I needed His steady presence. And every morning, before I ever opened that fire map, His mercies had already arrived.
I’ve also witnessed community in a way I’ll never forget. Firefighters left their own families to protect ours. Churches quietly opened their doors. Neighbors checked on one another before thinking of themselves. Meals appeared. Supplies were shared. Prayers were offered. Hardship stripped away the unimportant and revealed something beautiful: community isn’t built during easy seasons; it reveals itself during difficult ones.
Gratitude Before the Smoke Clears
The fire is still burning as I write these words, and recovery will take years. I wish every story ended neatly, but real life rarely does. What I can tell you is this: gratitude doesn’t have to wait for the smoke to clear. Sometimes gratitude is simply recognizing that God’s faithfulness is already present while we’re still living the story. Every morning His mercies are new. Every morning He is still with us. And every morning, that’s enough for me to whisper, “Thank You.”
Meet Debbie Oliver
Debbie Oliver is an author, blogger, and Bible study leader passionate about encouraging women in their faith. With degrees in Psychology and Business Management, Debbie works in publishing and digital marketing while also volunteering as a writer, editor, and social media scheduler for various ministries.
A wife and mother of six, she lives in Colorado, where she is raising her grandbaby and enjoying a front-window view of the majestic Rocky Mountains. She finds joy in coffee, Pioneer Woman treasures, and winter days. Her mission? To lead, teach, and inspire women to grow deeper in their walk with Christ.
Where to find her . . .
Begin Within is a series to inspire a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only your own life, but the lives of your neighbors as well. Gratitude is a theme we talk about often around here because it ties so closely into other missional living rhythms. Practicing gratitude reminds to keep our hearts soft and expectant and our eyes open. Therefore, the more we embrace gratitude, the easier it becomes to truly see our neighbors and where we can join what God is already doing in our neighborhoods.
If you would like to contribute to Begin Within, you can find the submission guidelines here.
