By Bethany Theulen

I recently had what I’d call the clearest, most unforgettable experience with the Law of Relativity since first learning about the universal laws. It was one of those moments that will be etched in my memory—not just because it was hilarious in its own way, but because it demonstrated so perfectly how this law actually works.

To be honest, I used to really resent this law. I didn’t appreciate being told things like, “At least you have a roof over your head,” while I was living in seriously rough conditions. Even with a decent understanding of how these laws work, those comments frustrated me. They felt dismissive, and honestly, they just made me mad.

But then came a moment—right before we moved out of a rental we’d been living in—when the sewer started backing up under the toilet... again. And instead of panicking, I laughed.In fact, it was one of those hallelujah-chorus-moments that made me so grateful for having a Father in Heaven that is so aware of me.

Ironically, the exact same thing had happened a few months earlier—same toilet, same sewer system, same backup. But that first time? It nearly broke me. I was already drowning in stress—personal family issues, a cross-country trip to bring my daughter to live with me temporarily, business pressures—and the plumbing had been a nightmare from day one. That time, when I flushed the toilet and watched sewer water spill out into my home, I lost it. I melted down. It took me a full week to emotionally recover.

And it wasn’t just the toilet. It was the sewer pipe leaking into the basement. It was the upstairs bathroom leak that collapsed part of the ceiling in my 5-year-old’s bedroom. It was the broken pipe flooding the backyard—the one peaceful spot I had in that whole house.

After intense pressure on the landlord and six plumber visits later, things were stable enough that we could function, but I knew we had to go. Even a friend told me I should move my girls out before winter came. Thankfully, our landlord agreed to release us from the lease with no penalties.

Sounds simple, but it wasn’t. Local housing was practically nonexistent, and I had no consistent income. We had very specific needs that made the search even harder. As our move-out date got closer and no new home had been secured, I started to question everything. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe we should just stay—the plumbing had become somewhat manageable. But deep down, I kept remembering the peace I felt after deciding to leave.

Then, just days before we were set to move, I went to flush the toilet... and there it was again. The water moved sluggishly, and I knew exactly what was coming.

And I laughed. I laughed because it confirmed everything. I knew, right then and there, that God had my back. I saw with absolute clarity that we were being supported all along. Somehow, that sewer system had held out just long enough for me to get my next steps figured out.

Same problem. But this time, I saw it differently. And in that moment of laughter, it all clicked.

That is the Law of Relativity. It wasn’t the circumstance that changed—it was me.

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