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If you ask the members of Sierra what word best describes the last year of their lives, all three vocalists will give the same answer: change. After more than a year of life transitions, involving both personnel and business changes, members Wendi Foy Green, Jennifer Hendrix and Marianne Tutalo have not only learned to live with change, but to embrace it and the God who is its author. More than fittingly, Change is also the title of Sierra's debut Pamplin Music release, their fourth album overall, and the driving force behind what is unquestionably the most focused and compelling work of the group's already formidable career.

As these ten new songs, eight written or co-written by group founder Wendi, leap from the CD into the ears of the listener, it becomes apparent that a lot of elaboration isn't needed. The words and music speak for themselves, and for the lives of the women who sing them.

From 1993-97, Sierra scored three hugely successful albums, a string of hit singles and numerous accolades. In 1998, original member Deborah Schnelle grew weary of the rigors of road life and left the group. The challenge of finding a replacement who would fit both as a musical partner and member of the Sierra "family" was compounded when an impending deal with a major record label fell through well into preparation for the project.

"The whole time of transition among labels, and in finding Marianne, really took me to a place of seriously questioning who I was, what I was doing and why," says Wendi. "I was in my bedroom one night, kneeling beside a chair, praying and kind of tearful. My son, who was four at the time, came in and asked if he could pray with me. He got down on his knees and prayed with me for about 30 minutes! That was a great perspective-changing moment. I saw that all the things that were troubling me were totally secondary to the simple act of seeking to get closer to the Lord."

As the search for Deborah's replacement dragged on, Wendi and Jennifer found their occasional exasperation tempered with a new willingness to let go of plans they'd once clung to. As they leaned more on God, they found it easier to follow His leading. That leading became apparent through the pastor at the Nashville church attended by Jennifer. Aware that the women were looking for a singer, he suggested Marianne, also a member of the church though unacquainted with either of the Sierra women.

Marianne, who had moved to Nashville in 1993, had established herself as a successful songwriter for the publishing company of country superstars Sawyer Brown. Not a Christian at the time, her own personal encounter and commitment to Christ came several years later.

"A friend of mine led me to Christ not too long before I met Wendi and Jennifer," says Marianne. "I had always seen myself as a secular pop artist and had been pursuing a career in that direction. I knew of a fair number of Christian artists, but wasn't too familiar with a lot of their material. It's been really exciting to become a part of Sierra, and discover a whole world of incredible songs."

When what was originally billed as an audition turned into a spontaneous outpouring of praise and worship songs, Wendi and Jennifer heard and felt a rare kind of chemistry with Marianne, in both spirit and in voice. And though their association wasn't immediately formalized, after the "audition," Marianne and her partners-to-be knew that the new Sierra had just been reborn.

"We prayed together before I left that day," Marianne recalls. "We could hear that we worked incredibly well together musically, and we all felt the Lord giving the same answer to our prayer. It was so clear to us all."

Change was produced by established studio masters John and Dino Elefante. The dramatic three-part harmonies and counterpoint that have been Sierra's signature sound remain gloriously intact, as Marianne's soulful alto brings to the mix a new power and coloration that is uniquely her own. The title song, driven by acoustic guitars and percussion with a solid backbeat, puts a modern pop feel to lyrics that are deeply personal yet universal in their message.

"This is my testimony, coming from all I've walked through in the last year," says Wendi. "It's me asking God, Where are You and what is Your will for me?' And the answer didn't have to do with changes in career plans. It was much bigger and more far-reaching than that. It was to let Him change me to let go of all doubts and truly start trusting Him, in everything I do."

The irresistible catchiness of the power/pop gem "The Proofs In My Heart" only heightens the importance and impact of its masterfully crafted lyrics. "We forget so easily that God has provided for us, completely," says Wendi, "and that our own lives are the very proof of that. The song's first verse sums it up: 'Why can't I wake up today/And remember the things I knew yesterday?' We know who God is. We just have to remember it."

The mesmerizing beat of "Everything" showcases the very best of Sierra, past and present, with a musical daring that refuses to fall into formula and a breathtaking vocal presence. "'Everything' is very much a worship song to me," Marianne says, whose heart's desire is to lead people closer to the presence of God through worship. "This song is an intimate love song to the Father." Sierra has added a praise and worship set in their concerts, that features each of the girls on instruments, as well as singing: Marianne plays piano, Wendi is on the guitar and Jennifer accompanies on the flute.

The radio-ready "Trust the Mystery" carries the same message of absolute trust in God that empowers and pervades Change, beginning to end. "There are a lot of things about God that we don't understand and we're not even supposed to understand," says Jennifer. "That's why He's God and we're not. There has to come a point where we simply say: 'OK, God, I don't get this, but I am going to trust you and believe in who You are.' I trust that things that are now mysteries to us will all be revealed and explained one day in heaven. And I'm looking forward to that day."

In the midst of all these changes arrived Jacob, Jennifer and her husband Scott's firstborn. Jennifer reports that parenthood has reordered the couple's life in dramatic but wonderful ways. "The baby and his needs are a part of every decision we make now," she says. "When I was pregnant with him, Scott and I prayed every night that God would give a baby who would travel well and fit right into the kind of life we lead, and He answered all of prayers. He's an incredible little boy, and the light of our lives.

"A lot of the focus that I once put on myself, I now put on him," Jennifer continues, "and that's given me a much healthier sense of priorities, as a mother and a Christian in general. Being a mother also has a positive effect on the group dynamic in Sierra. The demands and responsibilities of parenting have made me less passive and more at ease with sharing my feelings and needs and opinions. I think the other girls see that as a positive development, too!" she adds, laughing.

Sierra is stronger than ever, looking at a future of unlimited possibilities. "We're constantly learning and constantly falling short in our Christian walk," says Wendi, "and we want the people who listen to our music and come to our concerts to clearly see that. And to then see that we're also constantly getting back up and asking God to help us go through and grow through it all. Whatever situation you want to apply that to, change is something we can always count on. And when we put it in His hands, we can trust and know those changes will always work for the good. In hindsight, it's so clear He's been there in all that we've been through every step of the way."