The most important thing to my mother, in bringing up her eleven children, was that we would know Jesus and serve Him. Though times were hard and we were unable to travel the twelve miles to the nearest Apostolic Faith Church, Mother made it a practice to have family worship in our home. She would get on her knees and say, “Everybody pray.” Then she would go around to us children on her knees, laying her hands on our backs one at a time and pray for us.

Those times of prayer made me uncomfortable, because deep in my heart I wanted the ways of the world. When Mother would come to me, she would say, “O God, You stop Dolly in her wild career!” I would wish she would quit, but my mother knew there was power in prayer. When she would get to the end of her prayers, she would say, “God, when I’ve done all I can do and justice is satisfied, I want my children to be with me in Your Kingdom.” Many times she would then break down and start praying all over again, and it would seem as though she prevailed another hour for me.

At the age of fourteen I left home. I was supposed to be going away to work, but in my mind it was getting away from the family altar and from the mother who was praying so earnestly for me.

In spite of those prayers, I went my own way, though I had felt the call of God from my earliest childhood. At the age of fourteen I left home. I was supposed to be going away to work, but in my mind it was getting away from the family altar and from the mother who was praying so earnestly for me. To my surprise, once I got away from home, I missed it. I went to the shows and danced the heels off my shoes in a dance hall. But wherever I went, my mother’s prayers followed me, “God, You stop Dolly.” After just a few weeks, conviction settled so heavily on my heart that I went back to our little country home and began seeking the Lord.

I didn’t want my mother to know I was praying, because I thought if I could get rid of the awful conviction that was making me so miserable, I could go on my way. However, instead of lessening, the conviction became greater. One day I went into the backyard where I thought I could pray in secret. When I came out of my place of prayer, my mother was standing under the hickory nut tree.

Then I knew that she was aware I was seeking the Lord. Somehow arrangements were made, and a little later she said that I was to go to the church service that night. I went and cried my heart out to Jesus, but I did not really pray through. Mother had said that when you got saved you would know it, and I wanted to know that I was saved.

As I raised my head toward the sky, peace dropped into my heart. I knew that God had forgiven my sins and that my name was written in Heaven. Oh, the peace, the joy that I felt!

By the next day, word had gotten out that Dolly wanted to be saved. That night, as I knelt and prayed after a little cottage meeting, I promised Jesus if He would come into my heart and make me happy, I would serve Him. I will never forget what happened. As I raised my head toward the sky, peace dropped into my heart. I knew that God had forgiven my sins and that my name was written in Heaven. Oh, the peace, the joy that I felt! The next day I realized how complete that change was. I felt entirely different inside and out.

The day I was saved was August 15, 1941. The following Sunday, Mother took us to the Apostolic Faith meeting that was held near Flomaton, Alabama. I knew there was more, and I wanted whatever God had for me. A real revival was breaking out; the night I was saved, three other young people had given their lives to the Lord also. As I knelt that Sunday, seeking the Lord for sanctification, the altars were filled with seekers. Some were seeking salvation, others sanctification. The Lord came down and sanctified me and some others also. The minister saw the glory of God on my face and he said, “Look at that smile!” I didn’t realize I was smiling, but I knew that something had taken place in my heart that was different from salvation. Somehow I felt that God had cleansed me.

Shortly after I felt that blessed experience of sanctification take place, the Sunday school superintendent knelt by me and said, “Dolly, God will baptize you if you will believe it.” He encouraged me to praise the Lord. As I praised Jesus, each praise got better, sweeter, and deeper, until it seemed all I wanted to do was praise the Lord. Then the Spirit of the Lord took over and baptized my soul with the Holy Spirit, and I heard myself speaking in a language I had never learned.

That was a beginning. The Lord kept me through high school with victory. I knew that God was calling me and that I wanted to dedicate my life in service for Him. By the time I was nineteen years of age, I made the consecration to do anything Jesus wanted me to do.

God has given me a wonderful life. Someday, by His grace, I know I am going to walk on streets of gold. There I want to see Jesus—the One who died for me. On that day it will be my privilege to bow before Him and to thank Him for His redeeming grace. It is my determination to be faithful to the Lord and never to compromise this wonderful Gospel.

Interested in hearing more from Reverend Dolly Walker? Enjoy this recording of her sermon from August 15, 1975 titled "Mantle of Elijah."

‍