Christian Speculative Fiction discussion

I love how Gibbie finds a family who loves him, appreciates him, and accepts him. These people show him the love of God by their behavior rather than just words or force. George MacDonald describes a beautiful faith in Christ and Gibbie's slow conversion to that faith without ever saying the sinner's prayer out loud. Being the mother of a special needs child, I have heard many debates about whether or not children with disabilities came come to faith when they can't do all the outward motions to "prove it" to the Christian community.

Do you feel that this gentle leading to faith without all the traditional steps true to life? How about your own testimony? Did you need the steps laid out to you and to be led in the sinner's prayer? I know some of this will differ by denomination, but I find the huge variations in Christian testimonies endlessly fascinating.

My own testimony is kind of like Gibbies except that I did say the sinner's prayer. I had watched my parent's as they served God and heard the gospel at children's church. Instead of making a public declaration of faith though, I randomly decided to accept Jesus as a small child while I was playing alone in my room. I hid in my closet to pray, as my mother did, and said the sinner's prayer by myself. Then not knowing what to do next, I sang some hymns. That commitment has never faltered.

How about you? How did you come to faith in Jesus?