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The Four Gifts of Love^® Class

The Four Gifts of Love® Class is intended for couples who would like to use a self-study format to develop a lifestyle that helps create and sustain the feeling of romantic love in marriage. It's recommended that couples read the Summary of Basic Concepts before starting this Class.

Each lesson will require about 2-3 hours to complete. The lessons build onto each other—creating a strong knowledge base and helping couples integrate that knowledge into their daily lives.

Note: There is a faith-based component (Christ-centered orientation) to this class with assignments that integrate the Four Gifts of Love^® in a relationship with God. If you do not adhere to a similar belief, you have the ability to skip those assignments without disrupting the lessons related to your marriage.

Here’s a review of each building block:

Lesson 1

• Introduces the Four Gifts of Love®
• Discusses the importance of fulfilling promises to care, protect, and give time and honesty— putting the Four Gifts of Love® into action
• Reviews two of Dr. Harley's basic concepts in marriage—the Love Bank and the Ten Most Important Emotional Needs in Marriage
• Discusses the difference between romantic love and caring love
• Identifies the effect of receiving the Four Gifts of Love® in marriage
• Identifies the effect of receiving the Four Gifts of Love® in a relationship with God

Lesson 2

• Reviews how to give and receive the gift of care
• Reviews the Ten Most Important Emotional Needs in marriage
• Provides an opportunity for members to identify their own emotional needs
• Discusses the importance of listening and responding in a thoughtful marital relationship and in a relationship with God

Lesson 3

• Provides couples an opportunity to share their emotional needs with each other
• Provides couples an opportunity to give the gift of care by meeting each other’s most important emotional needs
• Reviews three areas of God’s will and provides an opportunity to incorporate these areas into a daily lifestyle—giving God the gift of care

Lesson 4

• Reviews how to give and receive the gift of protection
• Reviews Dr. Harley's basic concept in marriage—Love Busters
• Provides an opportunity to identify Love Busters
• Provides couples an opportunity to give the gift of protection by avoiding Love Busters

Lesson 5

• Reviews two of Dr. Harley's basic concepts in marriage—the Policy of Joint Agreement and the Four Guidelines for Successful Negotiation
• Reviews the Gift of Protection with God and a Christian’s version of the Policy of Joint Agreement

Lesson 6

• Reviews how to give and receive the gift of honesty
• Reviews Dr. Harley's basic concept in marriage—the Five Parts of Honesty
• Provides couples with an opportunity to practice honesty with each other
• Reviews the gift of honesty with God

Lesson 7

• Reviews how to give and receive the gift of time
• Reviews Dr. Harley's basic concepts in marriage—the Policy of Undivided Attention
• Reviews the Marital Promise and the Promise to God
• Offers parting words of advice