The phrase “God willing, and the creek don’t rise” is a phrase I heard a lot growing up in the South. It signified a commitment to fulfill a promise or take action under God’s will, as long as something unexpected didn’t happen. I’ve often seen it as a way to avoid taking blame.

In my short story, “The Creek Will Rise,” I used the expression “God willing, and the creek don’t rise” to show a parent’s lack of accountability, masked by religion, and the heartbreak that results, especially when witnessed at such a young age.

Tree and Brush in Creek Scene

John Dillwyn Llewelyn British, Welsh

1853–56