Lord willing and the creek don't rise

• Variants substitute "God" or "Good Lord" (with or without "the") for "Lord", and substitute "crick" or "river" for "creek", or capitalize it as "Creek" or "Creeks" based on confusion with the Creek Indian tribe.
• A slightly longer variant, "if the good lord's willin' and the creeks don't rise," is sometimes heard.

Statements of the form "God/Lord willing and (some other condition being met)" are ancient extensions of simple acceptance of God's will in phrases like God willing and Lord willing. "Creek" originated as a reference to creeks flooding and preventing travel, but is sometimes re-interpreted as a reference to the Creek tribe.

Lord willing and the creek don't rise

1. (idiomatic, US, informal) Barring unforeseen circumstances.

   Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we'll have that new barn finished in time for the harvest.

• (barring unforeseen circumstances): God willing, Lord willing

• Merriam Webster Word to the Wise (audio)