We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chantal Santiago. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chantal below.
Hi Chantal, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
I didn’t wake up one day just confident and full of self-esteem, it was developed in the fire. For me, confidence was forged through obedience and intimacy with God. I had to walk through seasons where I felt unseen, misunderstood, and even questioned my own worth. But it was in those very places that I learned my identity doesn’t come from people’s approval or external validation. It comes from Heaven’s verdict over my life. It comes from the One who created me.
Confidence came as I chose to believe God’s Word above my feelings, and self-esteem grew as I aligned my words and actions with that truth. Every time I silenced the lies of the enemy with God’s promises, every time I stood up and used my voice even when fear was loud, a new layer of confidence was built.
I’ve learned that confidence isn’t about personality—it’s about identity. When you know who you are and Whose you are, you stop shrinking, and you start showing up as the queen God created you to be.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m Australian born and have lived in the US for over 9 years. I am a daughter of the King, a devoted wife and a mother to two incredible Children. I’m an author, speaker, coach, and Kingdom Breakthrough & Transformation specialist. Earlier this year, I released my first book, The Voice of a Queen: Unleashing the Power of Purposeful Words (April 2025), which has become the foundation of a movement helping women break silence, reclaim their voice, and use their words as a force for rulership and transformation.
I am a bold, prophetic Kingdom communicator and the co-founder of Born To Rule Global alongside my husband, Christian. I empower faith-driven women to rise in their God-given authority and impact the world with Kingdom power. Through Born To Rule’s global initiatives, I now coach women directly and certify Kingdom Breakthrough & Transformation Coaches—equipping leaders to carry Heaven’s solutions into every sphere of influence.
What excites me most is that this isn’t just about inspiration; it’s about activation. I’ve been called to help women break cycles of limitation and step fully into their royal identity in Christ. I’m known for passionate, heart-stirring teaching that draws women into a vibrant, experiential understanding of the Kingdom of God—a realm where power, anointing, and freedom are as real on earth as they are in Heaven. I also weave my own raw journey of faith—its struggles, victories, and hard-won lessons—into everything I share, because I know true transformation begins at the feet of Jesus.
Looking ahead, I’m setting my sights on my next book while continuing to expand Born To Rule Global as a hub for equipping, activating, and sending women and leaders into their callings. My deepest desire is to see a generation of queens rise up, carry their mantles with confidence, and change the world—one courageous, Kingdom-driven step at a time. And if there’s one thing I want every woman to know, it’s this: nobody is stuck, and nobody is powerless. With God, there is always a way forward. Your job is to listen to His voice and keep moving forward.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, three qualities have been the most impactful in my journey: faith, resilience, and the ability to communicate with power.
1. Faith — the foundation of everything.
Faith wasn’t just about believing in God, it was about daring to take Him at His Word and move even when I couldn’t see the outcome. Faith is what has allowed me to release my first book when fear whispered that I wasn’t ready. It’s what gave me the courage to step into coaching and leading at a global level when my circumstances said I wasn’t qualified. Faith shifts you from living by sight to living by revelation. And here’s the truth: if your vision doesn’t require faith, it’s probably too small. My advice to those starting out is to anchor yourself daily in God’s Word. Let it become more real than what you feel, and let it set the boundaries of what you believe is possible.
2. Resilience — the ability to rise again.
There were seasons where I felt unseen, misunderstood, and even betrayed. Times when doors closed, opportunities bypassed me or when people I thought would support me suddenly didn’t. But resilience kept me from letting disappointment define me. I learned that resilience doesn’t mean you never fall, it means you don’t stay down. Every setback became a setup for greater strength and refinement. My advice: don’t despise the small beginnings. Trust is huge and trusting the Lord is the greatest joy you will ever have. Let the hard seasons train you, not break you. Ask yourself, “What is God building in me right now that I’ll need for the next level?” Because the truth is, without resistance, you can’t build strength.
3. Communication — stewarding your voice.
The most powerful shift in my journey came when I realized my voice wasn’t optional, it was governmental. Words shape reality, create atmospheres, and either align with Heaven or with hell. There is no such thing as neutral words. My words are either speaking life or declaring death (Proverbs 18:21) and I get to choose what comes out of my mouth. Learning to communicate with clarity, conviction, and authority has opened doors, built trust, and released transformation in others. This is why I wrote The Voice of a Queen. It is a reminder to women that silence is not safety, and words are not casual. My advice: practice speaking up. Start small. Share your story, articulate your convictions, and most importantly, align your words with what God is saying, not just what you see. Your voice will grow stronger as you use it.
For anyone early in their journey, know this: you don’t need to have it all figured out before you begin. Start with faith, build resilience, and steward your voice. Those three will carry you further than talent, connections, or opportunity ever could. And remember: you are not stuck, and you are not powerless. With God, there is always a way forward.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
My biggest area of growth in the past 12 months has been learning to lead from a higher level of identity and authority while staying deeply anchored in intimacy with God.
This year stretched me more than any other. I released my first book, The Voice of a Queen, launched global initiatives through Born To Rule, and stepped into certifying Kingdom Breakthrough & Transformation Coaches. All of those milestones required me to operate at a greater capacity than ever before. But the real growth wasn’t in the milestones themselves, it was in how I showed up for them.
I had to learn how to raise my leadership “floor” meaning, I couldn’t afford to live from old patterns of striving, perfectionism, or needing validation. I had to let go of playing small and step fully into the queen God has called me to be. That meant learning to carry weight without being crushed by it, to make bold moves without apology, and to trust God’s voice over every other voice. In a nutshell, everything had to change as my standards were raised and being not just okay but unafraid of disappointing people. This was about my obedience to the vision God had given me.
The other deep shift has been learning simply to be. Before anything else, I am a daughter, a wife, and a mother – in that exact order. And that is enough. That order is where my true fulfillment in life comes from. From that place of fulfillment, wholeness and alignment, everything else I do flows. The coaching, the speaking, the writing, those are the overflow. This revelation has changed everything, because I no longer measure myself by what I accomplish, but by who I am in Christ and how I show up for the people God has entrusted to me first.
There were moments where I felt pressed on every side, but those moments became the very ground where God stretched my capacity, increased my resilience, and reminded me that His strength is perfected in my weakness.
So if I could sum it up, my greatest area of growth has been this: I no longer wait for permission to walk in what God has already called me to do. I move with confidence, knowing my voice carries Heaven’s weight, and I lead from a place of rest, identity, and overflow. And in a world where everyone is obsessed with getting their “truth” heard, I’ve learned that most of the time what people call “truth” is just an excuse to let their feelings rule them, rather than us operating as the ruler God created us to be (Genesis 1:26-28). But there is only one Truth and His name is Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I am committed to making sure that His Truth is heard unwavering, unaltered, with nothing added, nothing taken, and never distorted.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/chantal.l.santiago
Image Credits
Anthony Castro
