First of all I want to thank
MARE and BARGOO for their kind words about me
I actually did see this thread about a month ago but I had nothing to add to the replies at that time and, as mentioned, I haven't been home around a computer much for a while.
I am so happy to see our Lord working in your life
DEE
I sure can understand why you feel/felt distant from God with all the troubles that surrounded you and your family.
However, we can always be sure that God does not distance Himself from us!

His WORD proves that to us.
Trust in His WORD to take care of us is something we all battle with. Our nature wants us to have that

Santa Claus or

Genie In A Bottle God that answers our prayers and gives us gifts if we are good enough and wish hard enough.
Trust is hard when times are difficult but I can assure you as you grow in your walk with our Lord through His WORD in the scriptures and through the sacraments that trust will grow and strengthen you. All your wishes and dreams here on earth may or may not come true...to be honest probably not...but you can be absolutely positive that as a born again or born anew through Christ your eternity will be wonderful!
Your story about your father really saddens me

I lost my father at about the same age in life to cancer as you did, I am 57...anyway, he was not a church going man but did have many friends from work and his hobbies. I found it strange then that not too many people came to see him or call when he was losing his life the last year he had. Many people called right after his death wanting to know when the service would be...we had a semi-private one (my dad did not want us to have one but after he was gone we made the decision as a family to have a memorial for his grand kids, since they were young). Long story short, over the next year or so running into his old friends I was told countless times that they wanted to call or come by but didn't want to bother him, know what to say, etc. As I grew older I could see the truth in that...maybe not what we should do for sure, but how many can relate to that.
I cannot at all explain why the ministry of your church then made no contact. But again, rest assured, that was MAN making mistakes not our Lord! He was not distant, even if it seemed so in your feelings.
Hard to realize sometimes that feelings are not truth....very-very hard sometimes.
What an amazing story about the conference and the ladies welcoming you

Talk about God at work in our lives
As I mentioned I really can't add on to the words and comfort from the other posters but I will leave you with a prayer

Heavenly Father,
As we celebrate the Festival of the Ascension in the Church we are reminded once again, just as the first disciples were when they witnessed Him being taken into the clouds before their very eyes, that Jesus promised us that His work here on Earth was done, He was going to prepare a place for us and that he would return for us. We ask that You continue to show that truth to Dee as she grows closer to you in Your WORD and begins to see more clear how close You really are to her. We ask you to comfort her in her past sadness and remind her that each day before us, You alone have created, we can go freely without fear knowing that You are with us, want great things for us, and will guide our ways as we trust in You. We thank you for all you have done for Dee in recent days and we ask that You lead her to a christian church where she can receive the Love of your Son and Holy Spirit into her heart and go forward in faith to share with others. As always, we ask these things according to Your will, and in the name of the One who has already provided all our needs with His death on the cross, Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen
