Well, you've asked about two very different things, and I might suggest you'd get fuller answers if you posted different questions.
Anyway, here goes:
"EVERYTHING- humans, thoughts, emotions, the universe, was formed by "galactic star dust""
Nope - matter formation really can't be described in those terms, and it certainly doesn't refer to any formation of the Universe.
In simple terms, we can say there was never a time when the Universe didn't exist in some form. Time is part of the Universe, and I think you'd agree that there cannot be a time of no time. So asking where did the Universe 'come from' is not a valid question as it makes an invalid presumption of prior non-existence.
That still allows us to have a beginning of time, which is really just a zero point of a scalar dimension. Similarly at that point all of space was of zero size. That's the initial state described by Big Bang theory, though the nature of that state is still at the frontiers of physics.
We still have to ask why there isn't nothing, and why the Universe is it as it is (e.g. Big Bang initial state), but that's a very different question, and one we don't yet have a confirmed answer to. This is at the frontier of research; there are hypotheses, but they're still works in progress. The current 'favourite' idea is called M-theory, a derivative of the earlier String-theories. This refers to an old Universe, possibly of infinite time, and that our local 'universe' (small u) is just a space-time 'bubble' that formed within it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduction_to_M-theory
In the meantime we don't jump to any conclusions as any such 'answer' would be indistinguishable from a fantasy.
As far as matter formation is concerned, this began to happen some time after time=0 in different phases, and atoms (mostly hydrogen) came to exist about 380,000 years after the beginning when the Universe had expanded and cooled enough to allow it.
This matter gathered in clumps because of gravity (one of the forces of the initial state) to form galaxies, stars and planets. Inside stars, light atoms are fused to become heavier ones, and later these are ejected at the end of the star's life. This eject then goes on to form other stars and planets, this time with such heavier atoms. Our planet and everything on it is largely composed of such heavy atoms, so in that sense we are largely composed of stardust. Alternatively, less poetically, we are nuclear waste!
There's a lot more detail to that in terms of star and planetary formation, but you'd be better to ask that one in a new question.
As for the "point to life", we each make up our own. I don't feel I'm some drone that can only receive operating instructions and a point to life from some hidden leader, I'm an autonomous person with my own nature, instincts, interests and feelings. I generally love life, and the freedom to take an interest in whatever I want. I care about my society and try to keep it orderly and functional and progressive, but I sometimes almost despair when I see the negative effect religion can have, e.g. here's a 'peace wall' in Belfast:
http://philchevalier.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/dscn0327.jpg
So I see religion a bit like an unhealthy drug dependency, where many people 'on it' cannot conceive of being autonomous, and feel they have to lie out some presumed "mission statement" of their own particular version, which can bring them into conflict with those who are different. Any prospect of coming 'off it' would be like cold turkey. As an ex-Christian myself I'm aware of the common view from that side. So your "seemingly pointless life" is just a view from a person hooked on a faith who cannot think of coping without it. Realty is very different.