Not many couples can say they celebrated the weeks leading up to their first wedding anniversary on a reality TV series. But when Jessica and Jeremy Rock learned about an opportunity to compete on the new show Cabin Wars: Flip It to Win It, they decided to put their teamwork to the test. The show will start streaming on YouTube this April before heading to other streaming services.
As a graphic designer, Jessica has a keen eye for details and colors. While Jeremy considers himself more of the “unskilled laborer” in their duo, he’s developed a knack for marketing and improving properties through his role as a realtor.
The premise of Cabin Wars is simple: renovate a cabin in Robert, Louisiana, in 30 days with a $20,000 budget. Executing this task, however, was no easy feat.
As the youngest competitors on the show—with the least experience—Jessica and Jeremy needed to rely on the strength of their relationship more than ever to navigate high-pressure situations and decisions.
The two met at a New Year’s Eve party in 2021 and were even in pictures together before they knew the other’s name. Jessica’s original plans that night had fallen through, and she joined after getting an invite from a friend of a friend. “It was fate for sure,” she said.
Jessica and Jeremy went on a date the next week, and they got engaged on New Year’s Eve the following year.
Throughout their first year of marriage and the high-pressure situations on the show, the couple’s shared values have become a firm foundation. We spoke with them about how the gospel of Jesus Christ has impacted their relationship and experience on Cabin Wars.
How has the gospel helped you in your first year of marriage?
Jessica: Jeremy and I are really lucky to have the exact same goals and the same eternal perspective. The little disagreements feel little because of the gospel. We can look at each other and see the future we are working toward and the kind of family we want to create together.
Jeremy: The gospel being centered on family is what has helped us. While it is normal to have disagreements, we know that our relationship with God and each other is much more important than winning a competition. Our first year of marriage had many ups and downs, like most couples, but one thing that really helped us is learning how and when to best communicate with each other.
How did your faith help you during the stressful moments of the show?
Jessica: We grew to really love and appreciate Sunday being the Sabbath Day. Taking the day off from the competition, going to church, and spending time with the ward members there was something we looked forward to so much. It was an amazing reminder to me that Heavenly Father’s plan really is perfect, and every part of His plan has a purpose.
Jeremy: Honestly when I took a step back and thought about how success here does not matter at the end of the day, I could see the show as a learning experience because my value was not rooted in how well we did. It’s not always easy to have that perspective with your job or whatever project you’re working on. The gospel helped me to stay rooted in what was important, as opposed to making sure the paint looked good or the countertops were perfect or whatever it was.
What was it like interacting with the other contestants on the show? Did you get the chance to talk about your faith?
Jeremy: Quite a bit! Louisiana has a lot of people of different faiths, and many people were very open about discussing their beliefs in casual conversation. So it felt easy and natural to share our faith as well. The people were very kind to us, and while they believed differently, we had some wonderful opportunities to share our beliefs and learn about others.
Jessica: This was one of the best parts of our experience! When we decided to do this show, one of Jeremy’s hopes was that we would be given the opportunity to share the gospel. So many conversations naturally led Jeremy to talk about his mission experiences. There were plenty of situations that made it pretty obvious that we were members of the Church, but it was never uncomfortable. We built friendships that led to some really meaningful conversations about our beliefs.
What is your favorite memory from the show?
Jessica: My favorite day was when I got to paint a tree mural on the master bedroom wall close to the end of the competition. We were all feeling so worn out, and I had put off starting my mural because I had never done one before. But once I started working on it, I felt so good to be working in my element! I’m really proud of how it turned out, and I loved taking a break from the hectic environment to just listen to my music and paint. The peace I felt in the midst of all the craziness was really special.
Jeremy: On the final day of the competition, a bunch of people from past seasons, production, and even one of our competitors came over to help us with the finishing touches. It was a pretty stressful week, but during those last few hours, we had some incredible help, and we couldn’t have completed the cabin the way we wanted without them.
How has this experience strengthened your relationship with each other?
Jeremy: It was a difficult experience out of our comfort zone, so we were able to grow closer through something that felt like a trial. It gave us an opportunity to work together through challenges we had never faced before. It really came down to better communication. If we understand how the other is feeling, we can communicate better even during stressful situations.
Jessica: There were honestly a lot of times during the renovation process that felt really stressful, and at times, the pressure on us to complete this project felt really intense. So to see that Jeremy was able to juggle all of the chaos and still be so patient really affirmed to me that I married someone incredible. We were able to rely on the love and trust we have in each other and lean on each other, which was a huge blessing.
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