Overeating

In 2012, I met an Egyptian brother who has become a good friend. Shortly before that, he was asked to leave the Apostolic church he attended after he spoke against the prosperity gospel he saw there. Then he could not be a member of the Evangelical Presbyterian church he attended because he was not willing to baptize his infant child. (This denomination in Egypt is the largest evangelical denomination in the Arab world.) Over the past 5 years, his wife and kids have joined the homeschool group that our family helped begin when we lived there briefly in 2010.

He has a home "group" that he hopes will become a church. Since he is literally a theological scholar, he is seen as the leader, so they ask him to do everything. He has two part-time ministry roles, but will leave one soon for several reasons, including that the director told him he was overweight. He has struggled with health issues and with his weight as long as I have known him, but it doesn't seem that the director communicated this in a God-honoring way. Would you pray that God would provide for this family, provide another elder-qualified man for this potential house church, and help my friend overcome obesity?

Please also pray for another Egyptian with whom I have walked for 7 years, who is house church planting in Saudi Arabia, but struggles with obesity also. He sees himself as an elder-qualified man, but I have doubts (and told him so 3 years ago) due to his lack of self-control in more than one area of life. I need wisdom regarding when and how to suggest to these brothers that they listen to something like this 12-minute podcast. For me personally, I may look fit, but I know well the temptation to overeat carbs or sweets, and my belly fat reveals it.