In this autobiographical interview, Speaker A, Dawson Grover, recounts his upbringing as a preacher’s kid in northern Minnesota, the origin and significance of his unique name—named after Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators—and his early life on a small dairy farm with three older sisters. He describes his Christian upbringing, early conversion to Christ at age five, and a steady faith despite typical teenage testing. He shares his courtship with his wife, beginning with a junior‑high prom date, their marriage immediately after high school, and the upcoming 50th wedding anniversary. The couple raised two children, Kelly and Peter, both now walking with the Lord, and they have five grandchildren. Throughout, Dawson reflects on the blessings of his family, faith heritage, and the influence of his father’s connection to Dawson Trotman and the Navigators.
Chapters
I grew up in northern Minnesota for my elementary years, okay? And my dad, I grew up as a PK, preacher's kid, basically, okay? Small churches, rural Minnesota, and small churches. And I'll tell you what, I'll even start out with my unique name, okay? So those that do not know this, Dawson, I got my name Dawson Grover long before Dawson Creek ever came along.
All right.
The show. All right.
I was growing up in the '90s. I appreciate this. I think about Dawson's Creek every time we're on a meeting. No lie. What is wrong with me?
I have the blessing of being named after Dawson Trotman. And for those that do not know Dawson Trotman, Dawson Trotman was the founder of Navigator's NavPress. Missionary to many sailors and servicemen. And my father knew him and as a young man and impacted by the Navigators. And so after my father, after our family was coming along, I have 3 older sisters and I was the son that came along 5 years later. So he said, it's Dawson. So, so I am just, I'm fortunate, but I just love that I'm fortunate to have a very unique name and it's been there and there's a lot of significance to it too. And for me, knowing Dawson Trotman's story and listening and reading his book Doss, it's, it's been intriguing like that. So that, that, that is really the beginning, the beginning. And so, but grew up in a family. Pastor's kid. Dad was a lot of times a, um, bi-vocational pastor and things like that. Uh, we grew up on a small farm. We had a small farm of 6 dairy cows and in and out of that. I have 3 sisters and, uh, they are actually 10, 9, and 5 years older than I am. So yes, they will let me know that I am the baby of the family. And, uh, I probably wear that badge. You know, there's just, you might as well just honor it and wear it then. So, but yeah, so we grew up in basically northern Minnesota until my high school years and then moved down to the Twin Cities. And so just really in that time, was thankful that I grew up in a Christian home. And was very fortunate, I think, with that. Was there a lot of things going on? Always. But I guess God really protected me in many ways all the way through my high school years that I never took an act, a time of rebellion. Did I test some things? Yes. But I never walked away from God and said, I'm done with God, or anything like that. And just have really stayed plugged into the church. Met my wife. Our first date was junior high prom. Okay.
That is so cute.
And so we dated for 2 and a half years after that and got married right out of high school. So this fall will actually be our 50th wedding anniversary. So that's And we have two children. And our oldest is Kelly. And our son a couple of years later was Peter. And so, and out of that, we have five grandchildren. And one of the blessings that I— it is a blessing. It's just, I've just been so fortunate. And sometimes I look back at this and I go, I have no idea how this happened, okay? And both of my kids are walking with the Lord. Amen. Not that we have not had our issues and struggles within different things, but they are both walking with the Lord, and I feel just blessed with that. And so the other part of that is I accepted Christ at 5 years old. I know it. I remember how and my dad leading me to Christ, talking about communion, just that smidgen, I just remember saying, yes, I want to be a follower of Christ at that age. If you ask me a lot about my childhood, I'll go, yeah, I have no clue. So it must have been good. So anyway, but that's a quick introduction of my early years, I mean, and who we are and where we came from.
